PETS

Can Animals Really Anticipate Natural Disasters?

For centuries, anecdotal stories have circulated about animals possessing some primal sixth sense that alerts them to an imminent natural disaster, but does science back it up?

Why Don’t Big Dogs Live as Long as Small Dogs?

Large animals tend to live longer than smaller ones. But this isn't the case for most breeds of dog. What gives?

How Can Owls Rotate Their Heads 270 Degrees Without Dying?

For humans, sudden gyrations of the head and neck—whether they’re from car accidents, rollercoaster rides, or chiropracty gone awry—can tear blood vessel linings in the neck, leading to clots that can cause stroke. Not so in owls, which can quickly rotate

Do Dogs and Cats Have Different Blood Types, Like Humans Do?

Yes. And our pets sometimes need transfusions, too, so it’s always handy to know what type of blood Spot or Fluffy has (if he or she has had any blood work done, the vet will have this

Why Do Cats Paw Around Their Food Bowls?

I could write a book on the strange stuff my cat does, but when I switched her food from dry to wet recently, she started doing something really weird: She’d maneuver her way around her food dish, pawing the ground as she went. Her behavior was odd enough

7 Shelter Dogs That Saved Lives

Did you know October is National Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month? While the month-long celebration of adopted critters is nearly over, it’s never too late to take home a wonderful new dog from your local animal shelter. And if companionship and unquestionable l

Why Do Dogs Kick Their Legs When You Scratch Their Bellies?

Every dog seems to have one—that special spot on his belly or flank that, when scratched, sends his back leg kicking like crazy. It’s odd and amusing, especially because some dogs seems to be as confused by it as their owners are. What’s going

6 Remarkable Police Animals

We’ve seen bookstore cats, animals trained to sniff out bombs and heroic dogs, but now we're here to focus on animals who have served, or are currently serving, their local police departments. 1. Momo, Nara Police Department, Japan http://www.youtube.com

Why Are Dalmatians Linked to Firefighting?

Sure, his coloring makes him look good against a red background, but it turns out that in the early days of firefighting, the Dalmatian served an important

How Did the Chicken Cross the Ocean?

At some point in the last few thousand years, someone in India or Southeast Asia decided to try catching one of the wild fowl than ran through the jungles and roosted up in the trees. We don’t know exactly what that person was intending, but the bird prob

What Do Chickens Have to Do With Chicken Pox?

The birds themselves? Not a whole lot. Chickens don’t even get infected by the virus — varicella zoster, a member of the herpes family — that causes the rash.

What Makes Bloodhounds Such Great Tracking Dogs?

Reader rccola20 wrote in to ask, "Are bloodhounds really that much better at tracking than other dog

If You Touch a Baby Bird, Will Its Mom Abandon It?

Is it true that a bird will abandon their kids once a human touches it? Or is that all a myth that our parents told us so we stay away from them?

Who Cleans Up After Seeing Eye Dogs?

Dog turds are stealth weapons. People with 20/20 vision often fail to notice them until they appear hours later, on the bottom of a shoe. How the heck is someone who can’t see supposed to track down and eliminate these sidewalk scourges, then?

23 Animals Relaxing With Cool Summer Treats

All across the country, people are hot and miserable. Perhaps this collection of adorable animals cooling off with icy snacks will help.

The Story Behind Man's Best Friend

There are around 400 million dogs in the world, the majority of which are pets. While the animals know a surprisingly large amount about their human companions, there’s plenty we still don’t know about them. In celebration of National Dog Week, here’s all

What Is Catnip and Why Are Cats Crazy For It?

The stuff that drives your kitten crazy goes by the Latin name 'Nepeta cataria.'