Psychology Today | 23.04.2026 23:20
Recently, I came across a situation in clinical practice that made me think about harm obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involving pets. As is commonly observed in these cases, the situation involved a pet guardian with intrusive thoughts about hurting their pet, without a real intention of hurting the animal. Not only in this case, but also in general, this type of thought often comes with intense distress. Why do these thoughts feel so distressing, and why do they sometimes involve pets?
