The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : February 2020 The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : February 2020

Friday, February 28, 2020

German Shepherd Hilariously Fails His Service Dog Training In Viral Video


This VERY good boy is not very good at being a service dog, unfortunately

Dogs are angels on earth in every discernible way. Some are great at being lifelong companions, others have talents in the service arena — as K9 police dogs, service dogs to those in need, etc. And some dogs have higher hopes and dreams than they’re capable of achieving, but that doesn’t make them any less Good. Take this guy, for example.

In a video that’s quickly gone viral all over social media, a German Shepherd named Ryker can be seen trying so very hard to meet the standards of a service dog. But Ryker, like many of us out there of the human variety who can relate, falls short during his test. In every single way.

Please enjoy the funniest, most adorable animal video you will see all day.

To learn more about Ryker and see his video, click here: German Shepherd Hilariously Fails His Service Dog Training In Viral Video

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No Evidence That Pets Can Get Covid-19, but Wash Your Hands Anyway


Unless you have the virus, or your pet is spending a lot of time with Covid-19 patients, no precautions are needed, or helpful.

Pet owners may be wondering whether Covid-19, the coronavirus that has infected thousands of people worldwide, is a threat to dogs or cats or can be carried by them. So far, the short answer is no.

Unless you are in an area where the disease is spreading rapidly, then there is no action or preparation necessary.

Even if you are in an area where many people have been infected with the coronavirus, there’s no evidence that companion animals can be infected with it. Of course, veterinarians can’t be absolutely sure about the infection because it is new, so if you have the virus, or are in an area with many human infections, some precautions might be useful.

To read more on this story, click here: No Evidence That Pets Can Get Covid-19, but Wash Your Hands Anyway

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Friday, February 21, 2020

Baby and French Bulldog Born on the Same Day Think They’re Brothers and They Do Everything Together


It has to be a special connection between dogs and little babies, since it’s really hard to find a more heart-warming duo. Whenever a furry companion and a mini-human team up, the result is simply adorable. And nothing shows this better than the bond between Dilan – a newborn and Farley – a French bulldog.

To read more on this story, click here: Baby and French Bulldog Born on the Same Day Think They’re Brothers and They Do Everything Together




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Large Bear Spotted Roaming in Monrovia Second Day in a Row


MONROVIA, Calif. - A large bear was spotted early Friday morning in Monrovia, only a day after a bear was reported roaming around the nearby campus of Mayflower Elementary School.

It was first spotted around 2:30 a.m. digging through trash cans in the neighborhood of North Mayflower Avenue.

SkyFOX first spotted the bear around 4:30 a.m. in the area of Hillcrest Boulevard, near Mayflower Avenue.

To read more on this story, click here: Large Bear Spotted Roaming in Monrovia Second Day in a Row



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A Valentine Love Story: Romeo, The Wolf Who Flirted With Dogs (And Humans)


The story of Romeo, the wolf who flirted with dogs, is an exceptional story of a wild wolf befriending dogs in the Alaskan city of Juneau. Many citizens of Juneau went to see this spectacle for many years until Romeo was killed by sports hunters.

My wife, who did not exactly approve of this “miscegenation” because of the potential danger, was looking out the window one frosty morning and there was the wolf curled up out on the lake ice, waiting for Dakotah (our dog) to come out.

With that arms folded, slightly protective tone of voice any mother with a cute teenage daughter would use, she said, “There’s that Romeo wolf again.” The name caught on because it fit. He was not only doing this with our dog, he was also flirting with others. But he certainly had favorites, just as people do: dog friends, dog acquaintances, and dog Best friends for ever.

To read more on this story, click here: A Valentine Love Story: Romeo, The Wolf Who Flirted With Dogs (And Humans)

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Watch Joaquin Phoenix Rescue a Cow and Her Calf After Advocating for Animals in Oscars speech


If there were any doubts about whether Joaquin Phoenix was sincere in his Oscars speech advocating for animal rights, this should clear them up.

The Joker star rescued a cow and her baby from the Manning Beef facility in Pico Rivera, Calif., and took them to Farm Sanctuary in Acton, Calif., where they can live together in peace, without threat of being slaughtered.

The move came a day after Phoenix spent his time at the podium, while accepting the Best Actor trophy for his turn in Joker, decrying the way humans treat all of the natural world. He specifically cited the plight of cows. “We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and when she gives birth, then we steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable,” Phoenix said. “And then we take her milk that’s intended for her calf and we put it in our coffee and our cereal.”

Grassroots group Los Angeles Animal Save captured Phoenix’s efforts in a moving, 8-minute video.

To read more on this story, click here: Watch Joaquin Phoenix Rescue a Cow and Her Calf After Advocating for Animals in Oscars speech

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Fred, A Mini Service Horse Flew First Class To Show What’s Possible For Service Animals


Croton, Michigan - Fred, a mini service horse flew first class to show what’s possible for service animals.

It’s not every day you see a horse on a plane, let alone in first class but Fred the Mini Service Horse went wheels up with a purpose.

“This was our first trip via an airplane, Fred has traveled several thousands of miles in my vehicle but this was the first time in the air,” Fred’s Handler Ronica Froese said.

Froese has trained Fred to be a therapy and a service horse.

He lives in her Newaygo County home, is house broken and is frankly more well-trained than most dogs.

“I spent a year of my life training this horse extensively for what he has and I was totally prepared for everything,’ Froese added.

Froese put months of work preparing for Fred’s trip, which included two flights each way.

“We left in the afternoon, we flew from Grand Rapids, we connected in Dallas and we went to Ontario, California,” Froese, explained.

“I purchased two first class seats in bulkhead seating, I paid an arm and a leg for tickets but I did so because it was Fred’s first time and I wanted him to be comfortable, I wanted him to have the most room,” she said.

Other than the expected gawking, the trip went without a hitch.

“Everyone was sweet as pie, TSA was amazing. The experience was way better than I actually anticipated,” Froese said.

With talks of potentially stricter regulations from the Department of Transportation on which species of animals can fly, Froese hopes Fred's trip shows the model for air travel with a service mini-horse.

She added that rules are often abused, but for people like herself, a service animal like Fred is a necessary companion.

“It is out of control, it’s a very abused process, there are a lot of untrained service animals on the plane that are not trained," Froese said.

“It’s definitely an abused system, but the sad part is what the DOT is looking at doing, they are looking at excluding me as a handler from taking my horse on the plane," she added.

She’s hoping they reverse course so Fred's first air travel experience won’t be his last.

If you want to follow along with Fred or Ronica’s other mini horses, Charlie and George, click HERE. 

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Wednesday, February 19, 2020

A Cat Shot Through The Head With An Arrow Is Recovering After Surgery. His Rescuers Named Him Cupid


(CNN)An orange tabby cat got a new lease on life and a name to go with it after veterinarians removed an arrow that someone had shot through his head.

Cupid, as the cat is now named, is on the road to recovery after a surgery at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington in Virginia last weekend.
"We believe the arrow may have been there for up to a week," spokeswoman Chelsea Jones told CNN. She said the arrow had gone through the cat's head and lodged in his shoulder.

To read more on this story, click here: A Cat Shot Through The Head With An Arrow Is Recovering After Surgery. His Rescuers Named Him Cupid


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Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Woman Found What She Thought was a Stray Dog, and Called Animal Control - Turns Out it was a Coyote - It had to be Euthanized Because it Showed Signs of Rabies


Fort Worth, Texas - A woman recently found that what she thought was a dog turned out to be a coyote.

Cheyenne Harboe says she just wanted to do a good thing for a dog in need. But when it comes to wild animals in large cities, cute can quickly turn to dangerous.

"I thought it was a puppy at first,” said Harboe. “Then I got closer, and he was really skinny, and I thought he was probably sick.”

Harboe says when she saw the baby animal on her way into work, right behind a Posados Café in north Fort Worth, she wanted to help.

“When i got up to it, like I could tell, ‘I don't think this is a dog, or if it is, it's a really, really skinny dog,’” said Harboe.

With the animal wrapped in a blanket, Harboe named him Taco and took him to Summerfields Animal Hospital.

There, it was confirmed that Taco was, in fact, a coyote.

“The fact that he just even let me come close to him, I knew that something was probably wrong with him,” said Harboe.

Again, her suspicions were confirmed.

Dr. Karen Metzler, who works at Summerfields, saw several signs of rabies in the little coyote pup.

Woman Found What She Thought Was a Stray Dog, Called Animal Control - Turned Out it was a Baby Coyote - It Had to be Euthanized Because it Showed Signs of Rabies

Ft. Worth, Texas - "The lack of fear in this puppy sets off alarm bells for the potential for rabies,” said Metzler.

That revelation means the coyote is a danger to anyone it's exposed to.

"The potential for rabies exposure is present in wildlife, and coyotes are known to be a high reservoir host for rabies,” said Metzler.

Animal control was called, and the little guy was taken away. It’s not exactly the ending that Harboe had envisioned.

"I kind of regretted like trying to help him out ‘cause of the whole animal control thing,” she said.

State law says coyotes are a high risk animal for rabies.

The only way to test for rabies is to sample the brain tissue, so the coyote was euthanized and will be tested.



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New at the Zoo: Guinea Pigs


Why do guinea pigs belong in the Zoo?
Here in the United States, guinea pigs make wonderful family pets. Visitors may be surprised to learn that these adorable creatures also play an important role in many South American cultures! They are celebrated at festivals, given to couples as wedding gifts and raised as livestock. We hope that our guinea pigs here at the Zoo teach visitors something new about this species’ origins and open up discussions with our visitors about proper pet choice and care. Also, why wouldn’t they belong in a Zoo — they are just adorable and are amazing ambassadors! Although these animals are not found in the wild today, the montane guinea pig — a likely ancestor — still resides in the Andes in South America.

To read more on this story, click here: New at the Zoo: Guinea Pigs



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Monday, February 17, 2020

Dog Houses Are They a Thing of the Past?


Dog houses used to be fixtures in the American suburban landscape. That doesn't seem to be the case today. I couldn't find any statistics regarding dog houses' possible demise, but I did note that no less a source than the American Pet Product Association recently acknowledged that dogs are "moving from the dog house into our houses."

Dogs are pack animals that thrive on companionship. Much like their wolf ancestors, dogs are very social. In fact, dogs are more social than humans and need to be part of human families. When you own a dog, you become the dog's pack and he wants to be with his pack. Forcing a dog to live outside with little or no human companionship is one of the most psychological damaging things a pet owner can do to a dog.

I think dogs tend to sleep inside now in a crate or on a dog bed, as opposed to being put out for the night to sleep in a doghouse. It was once rare to have the family dog spend the night inside.

Take a look at dog houses of the past...



                                           
...and present!





Doggy Doors
With more people keeping their dogs indoors, they still want them to have access to the backyard.  For several years people have started installing doggy doors in their homes to give their pets access to the yard when they are not home. Do you have a doggy door? Would you consider having a doggy door?

Take a look at this doggy door:



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Cats Are Wearing Coronavirus Masks In China


As the deadly coronavirus outbreak continues to ravage the country, pet owners in China are putting on makeshift masks on their furry friends.

Photos on the Chinese social media app Weibo show pets – namely cats – wearing the makeshift masks, many of them made from traditional surgical masks. Owners are cutting holes in the material to accommodate the animal’s eyes while the rest of their face remains covered.

To read more on this story, click here: Cats Are Wearing Coronavirus Masks In China




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Does Your Aging Pet Show Signs of Dementia?



Is your aging pet showing some curious behavior changes? Senior pets, like humans, experience changes in the brain that can affect memory and comprehension. Dementia and senility are broad terms used to describe these changes. In dogs, the disease is called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction or Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome and it affects a growing number of senior dogs.

In cats, however, our understanding of cognitive dysfunction is still an ongoing research in the field.

Dogs

Possible Signs of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction:

Similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans, Canine Cognitive Dysfunction is caused by physical changes in the brain and its chemicals. Past studies have shown that some older dogs with CCD have brain lesions similar to those that physicians see in Alzheimer's patients. The result of these changes is a deterioration of how your dog thinks, learns, and remembers, which causes behavioral changes that can disrupt the lives of both you and your dog. If your senior dog doesn't seem to be herself, she may be part of the large percentage of dogs age 10 and older who experience some symptoms of CCD, which include various stages of confusion and disorientation. Your dog may have CCD if she has a number of the following behaviors:


  • Becomes lost in familiar places around the home or backyard
  • Becomes trapped behind familiar furniture or in room corners
  • Has trouble finding and using doors and negotiating stairways
  • Does not respond to her name or familiar commands
  • Is withdrawn and unwilling to play, go for walks, or even go outside
  • Does not recognize or is startled by family members, toys, etc.
  • Frequently trembles or shakes, either while standing or lying down
  • Paces or wanders aimlessly throughout the house
  • Has difficulty learning new tasks, commands, or routes
  • Frequently soils in the house, regardless of the frequency she is brought outside
  • Sleeps more during the day, less during the night
  • Stares at walls or into space and is startled by interior lighting, the television, etc.
  • Seeks less and less of your attention, praise, and play
  • Is hesitant to take treats, drink fresh water, or eat fresh food

In the meantime, you can help your dog cope with CCD by considering her needs when it comes to your home, its surroundings, and the environment it creates for your dog. By incorporating a little care and a modified, veterinarian-recommended lifestyle, you may be able to increase your dog's brain activity and halt further CCD advancement. In fact, the latest studies have found that regular, moderate physical activity, mental stimulation with interactive toys, and a diet rich in antioxidants may help maintain your aging dog's mental health. Again, your veterinarian should be consulted before changing any of your dog's exercise or feeding regimens; but also try to keep your senior dog's environment familiar and friendly, and:


  • Try not to change, rearrange, or even refurbish furniture
  • Eliminate clutter to create wide pathways through your house
  • Consider purchasing or building a ramp for any stairways
  • Know your dog's limits when introducing new toys, food, people, or other animals
  • Develop a routine feeding, watering, and walking schedule
  • Keep commands short, simple, and compassionate
  • Encourage gentle and involved, short play sessions
  • Most importantly, keep your patience and compassion. Your dog's world has changed, but every effort should be made to show her that your love, respect, and pride of her past and present abilities has not changed and never will.

Cats

Every cat has a certain level of "talkativeness" some are always quiet and purring, some meow about everything. The change seen with senior dementia is one of increased or excessive vocalizations, and not just a simple meow.

They may appear confused and not totally sure of their surroundings while vocalizing, and this behavior is more common at night, often waking up the household.

It is important to remember other possible causes of new or odd vocalizations, such as pain (arthritis or injury) or in some cases, changes related to hyperthyroidism.

Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is a widely accepted diagnosis in dogs, with established treatment options. In cats, however, our understanding of cognitive dysfunction is still being shaped by ongoing research in the field, and limited treatment options are available. Recent clinical studies indicate that old age in the cat is accompanied by increased behavioural signs such as wandering, vocalization and night-time activity that are not attributable to identifiable medical problems. It is essential, therefore, that veterinarians include behavioural well-being in the routine care of senior cats.

The main signs of dementia in cats are:

As with humans, dementia leaves cats confused and distressed. Your cat may become disorientated, and find it difficult to locate her litter tray or food bowl. The cat may even forget she has just eaten and will keep asking for more food (even more than usually happens!)


  • Night terrors may mean that a cat becomes especially demanding at night and may keep you awake by loud crying.
  • Alternatively, cats with dementia may become more aggressive or attention-seeking.
  • They will be much less eager to play games and will choose to doze instead. They may also be found wandering aimlessly.
  • Grooming much less frequently is also another sign of problems.

As with all behavior changes in your pet, please see your veterinarian first to rule out a medical problem first, as many diseases can have the same signs.

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Adorable Babies and Their Cute Pets Sleeping


What's cuter than babies and pets? Babies and pets together! Take a look at these adorable babies and their cute pets sleeping.

WARNING: Extreme cuteness below!














 





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Pet Allergies, Are You Allergic to Your Pet? - Do You Know the Symptoms?


What is pet dander?
Cats and dogs have pet dander. It is tiny flakes of dead skin that slough off the pet continuously. Breathing in pet dander is the number one reason that people have an allergic reaction to animals. The dander is hard to see on some animals, and on others it looks like a bad case of dandruff, and the animal smells even after a bath. When the dander combines with oil and dirt, it becomes a glue-like substance trapping the undercoat and causing the hair to turn into large wadded mats.

What are the most common causes for pet allergies?
Cat and dog Dander, or skin flakes, as well as their saliva and urine, can cause an allergic reaction such as: sneezing, wheezing, and running eyes and nose.

Both feathers and the droppings from birds, another common kind of pets, can increase the allergen exposure. Bird droppings can also be a source of bacteria, dust, fungi and mold. This also applies to the droppings of other caged pets, such as gerbils, hamsters and mice.

Animal hair is not considered to be a very significant allergen, however, the hair or fur can collect pollen, dust, mold, and other allergens. Although individual pets may produce more or less allergen, there is no relationship between the pet's hair length and allergen production. There is also no such thing as a non-allergenic breed.

Animal allergens are found mostly in homes where pets are present. What is surprising, however, is that these allergens are also found (in lesser amounts) in places where pets have never been present, such as schools, workplaces, and other public spaces. Since dander allergens are sticky, they can be brought to these places on the clothing of pet owners. Also, while dander on a smooth surface (such as a wall) can be easily wiped off, in soft materials, such as carpets, mattresses, upholstered furniture, and clothing, it can persist for long periods of time. That is why, unless special steps are taken, pet dander can remain in a home for up to six months after the pet has been removed.

Rabbit Allergy
Many people gets surprised when they first hear about rabbit allergy, it is something that they don’t even consider before buying a rabbit as a pet, however it is a type of allergy found in some homes.  Just like other types of animal allergies its origin is in the proteins found in the saliva and blood of the animal and not in the fur.

When the immune system is weak to fight these allergens, it enters into a defense mode, producing the infamous allergic reactions.  Watery eyes and nose dripping are used by the body to wash away the allergens.  This means that the body reacts to an attack, this attack by itself is not dangerous but it could be if the symptoms complicate.





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Sunday, February 16, 2020

The Cat-Fox Is Real, And Here Are The Pictures To Prove It


With climate change and habitat destruction extirpating so many species from our planet, it’s rare that we see the needle move in the opposite direction.

But, give a cat and a fox a few years to work on it, and they’ll find a solution.

A new species, possibly a cross-breed between a cat and a fox, has recently been spotted on the island of Corsica. According to CNN, wildlife rangers from France’s National Hunting and Wildlife Office have identified 16 of the animals prowling the island.

To read more on this story, click here: The Cat-Fox Is Real, And Here Are The Pictures To Prove It





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Police Officer Stays At Shelter Overnight With Stray He Rescued


Rescuing a stray puppy may not be a police officer‘s job, but some kind-hearted officers don’t do it for the job. Some genuinely want to help the little ones who can’t help themselves. Officer Kareem Garibaldi of the Lakeland Police Department in Florida is one of those wonderful people.

Officer Garibaldi worked an early morning shift one Saturday in May, 2016. As he drove his patrol car, he nearly ran into a small Pit/Boxer mix puppy. The 8 to 10 week old pup had no identification tags or collar and was just running around loose.

To read more on this story, click here: Police Officer Stays At Shelter Overnight With Stray He Rescued



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Study: Beagles Can Detect Lung Cancer With 97 Percent Accuracy


ERIE, Penn. (WJET) – A recent study by the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania shows that beagles are capable of identifying lung cancer in humans with near-perfect precision.

The research, published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, indicates that three beagles were 97 percent accurate in distinguishing blood serum samples of patients with malignant lung cancer from healthy control samples. The study was conducted by a team from LECOM’s Bradenton, Florida, campus in collaboration with BioScentDX, which is a canine training and research firm in nearby Myakka City.

To read more on this story, click here: Study: Beagles Can Detect Lung Cancer With 97 Percent Accuracy 



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It Turns Out That Owls Have Long Skinny Legs Under All Their Feathers


Some pictures of what hides under an owl’s majestic feathers have gone viral and are changing the way most people see these birds.

For those who have ever wondered what is hidden beneath an owl’s feathers, wonder no more. The pictures have already gone viral, and as it turns out, it’s not what you may think.

To read more on this story, click here: It Turns Out That Owls Have Long Skinny Legs Under All Their Feathers






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18,000-Year-Old Puppy Found Fully Preserved In Ice


He sat down in the cold, and wasn’t seen again for 18,000 years.

Now, Russian scientists have uncovered the intact remains of the world’s oldest puppy, found in the Asian permafrost. Nearly every part of the dog was preserved in frozen mud, including the hair, whiskers, eyelashes, and teeth.

“This puppy has all its limbs, pelage – fur, even whiskers. The nose is visible. There are teeth. We can determine due to some data that it is a male,” said Nikolai Androsov, director of the Northern World private museum.

To read more on this story, click here: 18,000-Year-Old Puppy Found Fully Preserved In Ice



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Turtle Passes 100 Pieces of Plastic While Recovering From Surgery


Bottle caps, pieces of cutlery, garbage, Zip-lock bags and large plastic shards were found.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Editor's Note: The photo above is a file image. Scroll down for photos of the plastic.

A South Florida nature center made a sad discovery while a turtle in its care was recovering from surgery.

The turtle came into the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center for hook removal surgery and began passing large pieces of plastic debris. 

To read more on this story, click here: Turtle Passes 100 Pieces of Plastic While Recovering From Surgery

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⅓ Of Animal And Plant Species Might Go Extinct Due To Climate Change


In 50 years, Billie Eilish will be turning 69 years old, technology will likely be unrecognizable, and the world may have lost ⅓ of all its plant and animal species. A new study has found that warming temperatures will likely cause hundreds of species to go extinct.

Researchers at the University of Arizona analyzed 538 plant and animal species from around the world, 44% of which already faced local extinctions in at least one area in the world. What they discovered is that the areas that suffered from species extinctions had "larger and faster changes in hottest yearly temperatures than those without."

To read more on this story, click here: ⅓ Of Animal And Plant Species Might Go Extinct Due To Climate Change




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Do Cats Eat Their Poop Like Dogs? - Yes, They Do


Eating one’s own stool, a behavior also known as coprophagia, is common in dogs but very rare in cats. Dogs are notorious for eating things that humans find extremely distasteful, stool included. However cats do not normally eat their own stool, and when they do this type of behavior could be a sign of an underlying mental problem.

Cats that have been severely abused or kept in extremely unsanitary conditions with little food or water may have picked up the practice of coprophagia as a survival mechanism. Even though the cat is now in a safe place, it may still feel like it is necessary to eat its own stool.

Young cats and kittens may also develop coprophagia from a type of mental disorder. Cats are prone to developing mental disorders, such as obsessive compulsive disorder, and coprophagia in cats could be a manifestation of some type of mental disorder. Kittens may also confuse their own stool with food, and it may take them awhile to realize that their stool is not food.

If our cat is eating its own stool, have your cat examined by a veterinarian to ensure first that no medical conditions are causing the behavior. Keeping the litter boxes clean, and making sure that your cat feels safe and secure in its environment, may help to reduce further incidences of coprophagia.

Did you know that mother cats eat kittens feces while kittens are suckling on the mother?

It's perfectly normal and quite safe in that a mother cat licks her kittens' bottoms while and just after a kitten has nursed on her. They do this to stimulate the kitten to wee and poop as kittens don't have an automatic nerve self stimulus to do so until they are about 3 - 4 weeks old. If the mother cat does not do this the kitten will stop feeding, get very poorly, get blood poisoning and die. The mother cat swallows her kittens' defecation at this time to keep her nursing nest clean. The kittens' wee and poop at this age are so small that it's almost undetectable.

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Xin Xin and Shuan Shuan: The Only Giant Pandas in the World Not Owned by China


Mexico City, Mexico -  The Chapultepec zoo in Mexico City says that Xin Xin and Shuan Shuan are the only giant pandas in the world not owned by China.

They were born in captivity in Mexico and although they have Chinese names, "they belong to Mexico," said Rafael Tinajero, a manager at the zoo.

They are the main attractions at the Chapultepec zoo in Mexico City, and what makes them unique is that they are not owned by China.

Many young pandas born abroad in captivity are later repatriated to China, where the species originates.

But Xin Xin and Shuan Shuan, with their plump bodies and tender expressions, will be staying put.

They are the last in the line of a panda couple -- Ying Ying and Pe Pe -- loaned to Mexico by the Chinese government in 1975.

Since 1980, China has operated a different policy in which it only lends pandas for a short time and in return for a payment towards wild panda conservation efforts.

The panda is considered a vulnerable species.

As Ying Ying and Pe Pe arrived in Mexico before China changed its policy, Xin Xin and Shuan Shuan will stay in Mexico.

"With that, Mexico became the first country outside of China to have had a successful natural reproduction of pandas outside their natural habitat, in captivity conditions," said Tinajero.

He said eight more pandas were born in Mexico between 1980 and 1990 but only four of those survived.

Giant pandas typically live until about 20 in the wild and 30 in captivity.

They average around 100-115 kilograms (220-250 pounds) and adults stand between 1.2 to 1.9 meters (4-6 feet) tall. Males can weigh as much as 160 kilograms.

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Orangutan Granted 'Personhood' Turns 34, Makes New Friend


WAUCHULA, Fla. (AP) — A orangutan named Sandra, who was granted legal personhood by a judge in Argentina and later found a new home in Florida, celebrated her 34th birthday on Valentine's Day with a special new primate friend.

Patti Ragan, director of the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida, says Sandra “has adjusted beautifully to her life at the sanctuary” and has befriended Jethro, a 31-year-old male orangutan.

Prior to coming to Florida, Sandra had lived alone in a Buenos Aires zoo. Sandra was a bit shy when she arrived at the Florida center, which is home to 22 orangutans.

To read more on this story, click here: Orangutan Granted 'Personhood' Turns 34, Makes New Friend


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