Pet owners across the country are rethinking collars for their cats and dogs. Harnesses, once viewed as a niche product for specialized training, have become mainstream in recent years as more owners focus on animal safety and comfort during walks.

Why harnesses are gaining popularity

For dogs, harnesses provide greater control without ...Read more

Cats claw and scratch for reasons that are both instinctive and essential to their well-being. While many owners see clawing as misbehavior, for cats it’s a daily necessity, woven deep into their biology. Scratching helps remove the outer husk of their claws, keeping them sharp and healthy. It’s also a form of exercise — stretching the ...Read more

Ever had this happen? You silently think about taking your dog for a walk. You don’t say the word “walk.” You don’t touch the leash. You don’t even move toward the door. And yet, there they are—already waiting by it, tail swishing like a metronome, eyes sparkling as if they heard your thoughts. It feels magical.

It’s not. It’s ...Read more

Cats have impeccable manners—at least, according to cats. They float into rooms like royalty, acknowledge their audience with regal restraint, and disappear without apology when they’re done. Humans, by contrast, often bumble into conversations like overcaffeinated golden retrievers.

Luckily, you can upgrade your social diplomacy by ...Read more

Cats may be small, but their social world is full of complicated etiquette—and most humans stomp through it like elephants in muddy boots. We hug when they want space, grab when they want choice, and talk too loud when they just want quiet companionship.

The result? Confused cats, scratched arms, and baffled humans wondering why their furry ...Read more

Cats have a flair for mystery. They’ll snuggle up on your lap one minute and launch a full surprise attack on your ankle the next. It’s no wonder so many people assume their cats are mercurial little chaos gremlins who just happen to like napping on warm laundry.

But here’s the twist: many of the oddest, most unsettling things your cat ...Read more

Cats have spent thousands of years perfecting the art of mixed signals. They can be aloof one moment and kneading your spleen with all eighteen claws the next. It’s easy to mistake their quietness for indifference, but beneath the cool exterior, most cats are whispering “I love you” in their own subtle, whiskered way. The trick is learning...Read more

Dear Eric: My husband and I often go to an off-leash park near our home. There is one woman who regularly frequents the small dog area with her little doggo. We do not know her well, but we are polite and friendly.

Yesterday, while bringing in our dogs, she accosted me by loudly telling me about horrible medical procedures that were being ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Dog owners may need to be on alert for a disease many have never heard of — anaplasmosis, spread by the same tick that transmits Lyme disease.

Anaplasmosis can make dogs feverish or lethargic, turn their nose up at food and lose weight, but many show no sign of illness at all. In rare circumstances, though, dogs can bleed from ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Beloved nonagenarians Mommy and Abrazzo are parents once again.

Nine more western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises have hatched, the Philadelphia Zoo announced Wednesday. This is the couple’s second clutch, bringing their total number of offspring to 16.

The hatchlings mark a milestone for the 150-year-old institution: ...Read more

A Superman HISHE cartoon. The Man of Steel is looking for Krypto but finds he has to battle more than just Lex Luthor this summer.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The first time Tammy freaked out, her human had no idea what was happening.

It was summer, two years ago, afternoon sun streaming through the windows of the dog’s Port Charlotte home.

Suddenly, the happy, waggy Basset Hound started whining, drooling, shaking. She paced around her owner, Jill Powers. She wouldn’t leave her ...Read more

Accused assassin Vance Boelter now faces the possibility of life in state prison alongside a possible federal death sentence after a Hennepin County jury indicted him on premeditated murder and other counts Thursday for allegedly carrying out a politically motivated rampage in June.

A Hennepin County grand jury indicted Boelter Thursday on two ...Read more

Pet owners often rely on meows, barks or tail wags to understand their companions, but animals communicate far more through posture, expression and subtle movements. For cats and dogs alike, body language is the first language — and learning to interpret it can transform the bond between people and their pets.

The Tail Tells the Tale

...Read more

For some, the bond with a pet is instant and unconditional. For others, it comes with watery eyes, sneezes, and a box of tissues. Pet allergies are among the most common allergic conditions in the world, affecting an estimated 10 to 20 percent of the population. Yet despite the discomfort, most people choose to keep their animals. Why? Because ...Read more

In shelters across the United States, behind the clang of metal doors and the shuffle of paws on concrete floors, thousands of dogs and cats wait each day for something they don’t know how to name: a forever home. The journey from kennel to couch is not always short, nor is it simple, but when it happens, the transformation is undeniable. ...Read more

From the battlefield to Broadway, from Instagram feeds to Hollywood backlots, cats and dogs have left paw prints on history and culture in ways both surprising and enduring. Their stories reflect not just the animals themselves, but also the human societies that adored, mythologized and sometimes even depended on them.

Cats with Nine Lives ...Read more