Here we go again. According to VPI Pet insurance, the most popular name for dogs and cats in 2012 remained unchanged from 2011: Bella. The central character from the Twilight novels and movies once again topped the company’s annual list of most popular names for felines and canines, which was aggregated from its database of almost half a million customers. In fact, the top 10 names for dogs and cats didn’t ...

It’s a documented fact that pets experience grief when they lose a loved one. Many pet owners will corroborate this. Regardless of whether it is a cat losing a kitten or missing a deceased pet friend; the distress signs are there for all to see. Pets have a deep significance not just for pet owners but also other animals in the household. The passing away of a human or a pet member of the family is disconce ...

It's time to explode one of the many myths about cats: You can train them. With the right motivation--namely food--cats can learn commands like sit, come, and wave. With advanced training, they'll jump through hoops, play the piano (not very well, admittedly), roll over, spin in a circle, walk on a leash, and play fetch. There are even cats who've learned to run an agility course in competition. Why bother ...

If you’ve ever seen your furry friend playing with it, you already know that catnip isn’t just a clever name. The plant’s effects on cats have been known for centuries, evidenced by its scientific name, Nepeta cataria—the Latin “catari” means “of a cat.” But there’s plenty to this feel-good herb that you might not know. What the heck is my cat doing? Catnip and its relatives contain a chemical called nepeta ...

Lots of us get cats because we want an independent companion who can entertain herself while we’re away at work. It’s true that cats can be self-sufficient in many ways, but the sometimes surprising reality is that they need us, they really need us, to give them companionship and love, as well as to help them learn to navigate the empty hours when we’re gone. Cats in the wild don’t have this problem. They a ...

Compiling a list of superlatives is always fascinating. Keeping with that spirit, here's a list of the largest, smallest, heaviest, fastest, cat breeds. Largest cat breed By common consensus among cat experts, the Maine Coon is usually considered the largest cat breed. Males can weigh up to 24 pounds. The Maine Coon is a very old breed whose origins are shrouded in mystery. According to some, the breed came ...

Aggressive pet cats can be a serious cause of concern for cat parents. Vets define aggression as threatening behavior towards other cats or humans. It is a very common problem. Cats may be small in size but they possess razor-sharp claws and a set of powerful teeth. They are capable of inflicting painful bites and severe lacerations. This can lead to injuries to the attacked entity and your pet cat, not to ...

Leash aggression is an extremely common behavior issue faced by many dog-loving owners. You start on the blissful journey of puppy parenthood, envisioning a future of leisurely strolling with your dog: cup of coffee and newspaper in hand, ready to settle in on a park bench, street café, or just around the neighborhood. Then reality sets in. Lovable Fido often resembles Cujo while on leash. I feel for owners ...

Cats have a very impressive vocal range that includes purrs, hisses, meows, even chirps. According to French researchers, cat sounds cover more than 60 notes and over the millennia of domestication, many of these sounds have evolved to reach out to the pet parents. We need to know what our beloved feline is trying to tell us. Because cats are highly evolved independent hunters, their need for communication ...

It's news to most humans that the way we act with each other when we're feeling most affectionate--hugging and staring into each other's eyes, to give a couple of examples--doesn't translate well to dogs. In fact, it can be perceived as downright aggressive. Even patting a dog on the head can be taken the wrong way. Oh sure, they put up with us. That tolerance is partly why we care for them so much. But wou ...