1+ hour, 56+ min ago (561+ words) Q: Mr. Poo Poo Head, our 15-year-old cat, has started yowling to come into the house every night. He eats diced beef, chicken and tuna, and he's healthy and active. His behavior is annoying, so we'd appreciate your advice. A: Yowling is common among elderly cats. The causes are numerous, so it's important to determine what's prompting the yowling so it can be addressed effectively. You might start by opening your door to allow Mr. Poo Poo Head to sleep inside at night. While it used to be common to allow cats to roam outside, we now realize it's important for cats of all ages to live indoors. This safeguards them from aggressive cats, coyotes, cars and outdoor toxins, and it protects songbirds and other wildlife from cats' predatory behavior. Because most elderly cats have arthritis, and many have impaired hearing and…...

2+ hour, 23+ min ago (371+ words) She has given us the names of a few different breeds including Persian, Maine Coon, Ragdoll, Scottish Fold, and Himalayan. Which would be a good docile breed? With the holidays approaching we seek your advice. We are considering purchasing a kitten for our daughter. She has given us the names of a few different breeds including Persian, Maine Coon, Ragdoll, Scottish Fold, and Himalayan. Which would be a good docile breed? We have heard that some of these breeds have short faces and breathing problems and we wonder if this is something we should be concerned with. What complications or problems might we expect if we get a Persian cat because of this facial presentation? C.M. The condition of a shortened face and head is called brachycephaly and some of the breeds you mention are brachycephalic. People have bred cats, and…...

3+ hour, 33+ min ago (347+ words) DEAR PET TALK: I want to get a dog. How often should you visit the vet? Pet Lover DEAR PET LOVER: In the last two weeks "Pet Talk" has focussed on the steps to take when integrating a kitten or puppy into your home. This week, let's talk finances. How much does it cost to be a responsible pet owner? Dogs can be more costly than cats " especially if doggie day-care, training, or out-sourced dog walking is needed. Costs for your pet will include food, treats, equipment (leash and collar for dog; cat carrier for cat), preventative medicine, such as for fleas and ticks (and heart worm for dogs). Cats have the additional fee of kitty litter; figure one box per cat (we have two cats, a box on two floors, plus one "down cellar," since Vinny, the orange one…...

4+ hour, 55+ min ago (846+ words) A groundbreaking study published in Biology of Sex Differences explores the profound implications of early-life gonadectomy on frailty and robustness among male and female dogs. Conducted by a pioneering team led by D.J. Waters, this research adopts a life course perspective that uniquely illuminates the biological processes underlying sex differences in canine frailty. As the [] A groundbreaking study published in Biology of Sex Differences explores the profound implications of early-life gonadectomy on frailty and robustness among male and female dogs. Conducted by a pioneering team led by D.J. Waters, this research adopts a life course perspective that uniquely illuminates the biological processes underlying sex differences in canine frailty. As the canine population ages, understanding how various treatments affect longevity and health is paramount, making this research increasingly relevant. The study centers on the concept of frailty, a geriatric syndrome characterized by diminished…...

4+ hour, 56+ min ago (621+ words) The reader is going on holiday for a week. Her housemates have said they're happy to mind her dog, but she feels guilty" In our weekly series, readers can email in with any financial dilemma and enter the Money Moral Maze. This week's dilemma can be found below " email us at [email protected] with yours. Next month, I'm going away for a week, and I've asked my two housemates to look after my dog, Jasper. He's a friendly labrador, pretty low-maintenance " they just need to let him out to do his business and take him for a daily walk. I thought it would be no big deal and that, as friends, they'd do it out of goodwill. They love him too! But now they've hinted that they want paying " which feels awkward. I get it because looking after a dog is…...

5+ hour, 41+ min ago (137+ words) Casper is a four-year-old male Singapore Special looking for a forever home. Published'Nov 30, 2025, 01:15 PM Casper may just be the dog that makes your Christmas even more special. The male Singapore Special, who will turn five on Dec 25, is HDB-approved and grass-trained. He also listens to commands and walks well on a leash. Quiet and loyal, he is looking for a pawrent who does not expect perfection, but is willing to manage his needs with care and patience. He is food-motivated and may be shy in the presence of strangers. He is also sterilised and microchipped, and has no medical issues.' If you are keen to adopt Casper or his friends, go to Purely Woof (purelyadoptions.com/adoptdog), the dog division of animal welfare group Purely Adoptions....

6+ hour, 11+ min ago (313+ words) Rescue dogs sometimes literally do not know how to be pets. That's something you have to teach them. They'll look to you for every little thing, and it's so important that you teach them everything you possibly can. Things are going to seem like common sense, and they are common sense, but they don't know that. Take this sweet dog, for example, who has no idea how to interact with a living room. He loves and hates coffee tables at the same time, and he definitely doesn't understand that stepping on them is kind of forbidden. How was he supposed to know?! Rue the City Pittie is doing her best to try to teach her brother, Axel, some manners, but this was literally his first day home, OK? Cut the poor boy some slack! As his mama says, they don't…...

7+ hour, 24+ min ago (347+ words) There are capybara caf's in America, Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand; one is expected to open in Britain soon. | World News What has webbed feet, a big snout and is adored on the internet? There are capybara caf's in America, Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand; one is expected to open in Britain soon. FOR THE most part, rodents make people shriek in disgust. But the largest rodent of all, strangely, does not. The capybara, a hirsute native of South America, typically provokes squeals of delight. It is pictured on keyrings, backpacks and stationery. Spend "40 ($52) and you can get a luxuriously soft capybara toy for your bedroom. For under "10 you can get an advent calendar containing 24 different ornaments, depicting Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris as an astronaut, magician or detective. The capybara has become something of a cultural idol. There are capybara caf's in America, Indonesia,…...

7+ hour, 58+ min ago (37+ words) The search remains for one of three wildcats that escaped from a Berks County, Pennsylvania, wildlife center after a storm knocked a tree onto their pen earlier this month. Escaped wildcat spotted near Berks County Memorial Gardens...

8+ hour, 39+ min ago (301+ words) Keel says the truth behind the chupacabra legend may be far less supernatural, pointing to sick coyotes often mistaken for monsters. As is the case with almost all supposedly legendary creatures, the profile of the chupacabra, a creature said to suck the blood of livestock, has changed since it was first reported in Puerto Rico in the mid-1990s. "In 1995, a chupacabra was understood to be a bipedal creature that was three feet tall and covered in short gray hair, with spikes out of its back," Loren Coleman, director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine, tells National Geographic. Chinese whispers have shifted that original description quite a bit. The chupacabra, which translates from Spanish as goatsucker, is now considered more of a canine-like creature. That change may help explain many of the more recent sightings. The Sarcoptes scabiei parasite causes…...