While everyone is pondering their New Year’s resolutions, I have decided to venture forth this year as if my dogs and cats were my closest advisors. Here’s what pets teach about the important things in life.
There’s always time to stop and smell stuff.
Sticking to your diet means eating only what’s on your plate, not the plate itself.
Ice cubes can be good snacks, as long [...]
As an animal person who has spent 20 years helping people better understand their pets, the movie Marley and Me was a bit stressful. While everyone was giggling and laughing at Marley’s on-screen antics, I found myself clutching my seat and making mental notes of what they could do to get Marley under control.
I can [...]
Most people don’t think of an animal shelter when looking to adopt a cat. Very often, a neighbor has a litter of kittens she needs to find homes for or a stray feline wanders up to the front door. But the animal shelter can be a great place to find your next feline friend, since [...]
You can see him through the cage door just begging for attention: cute little brown eyes, soft plushy ears, and a wagging tail, designed to pull on your heart strings. It’s so easy to lose your heart at an animal shelter. There are so many adorable animals vying for your attention that you may find yourself wanting to [...]
If you are expecting your first child, you probably feel excited, but also anxious, especially if you have a dog or cat in the home. You may wonder how your pet will adjust to the new baby and whether the two will get along. Well-intentioned friends and family may offer unsolicited advice, even suggesting that [...]
The very first test on dogs to see how they perceived fairness was conducted and much like primates, the results, reported in the December 8, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that dogs had a real sense of what humans would call “fair play.”
Researchers asked a dog to shake a paw. The dog would perform [...]
Losing a pet is very stressful and a cause for anxiety. As you worry about your pet’s whereabouts and safety, you might not be thinking straight, so it can be helpful to have a handy “to do” list to make sure you cover all your bases. By following a few simple tips, you will stand a [...]
When you can name your pet after anything from good fortune (Lucky) to food and drink (Muffin and Brandy), you would think that we would be much more original with the names we select for our pets. But, it turns out, that most people select the same names over and over again.
When my sister got [...]
It’s a myth to think that most cats end up at shelters because they have behavior problems. The truth is, most cats are turned into animal shelters because of changes in people’s lives, which means there are lots of great cats waiting at shelters for a new home. Here’s a top ten list of why cats [...]
Cathy M. Rosenthal, The Pet Pundit, has been the pet columnist for the San Antonio Express-News since 2003. Her entertaining and informative weekly advice column (with an occasional essay on popular current animal issues) provides readers with insights into animal behavior. She offers solutions for the most common animal behavior problems; deals with neighbor-to-neighbor issues concerning animals; provides relationship information to keep pets and people together; and educates readers on humane pet care—hopefully keeping pets from being abandoned on the streets or local humane society.
She also authors a blog at www.mysanantonio.com called Animals Matter, and has been a contributor to Dog Fancy and Dogs USA magazines. Her articles have included such topics as, selecting dog foods; canine sports for beginners; alternative therapies for dogs; canine physical therapy; the problems with microchips; and the different ways we communicate with our pets through body language.
