Feral Cats: The Neighbors You May Never See

It is estimated that the feral cats living on the streets of the United States number in the tens of millions. What are feral cats? They are distinct from stray cats—“domesticated pet cats who have been raised among humans but became lost or were abandoned. These stray cats are accustomed to, and in many senses depend upon, human society; they therefore can and should be returned to their owners or adopted into a new home.

Feral cats, on the other hand, are cats of the domesticated species who have been raised apart from humans or separated too long from human company and have returned to “wild” ways. They cannot be socialized and are not adoptable as pets, although kittens born to feral cats, if taken before about the age of eight to 10 weeks, can be socialized and adopted. Some people attempt to “tame” feral cats in order to make them adoptable, but this has been shown to be virtually impossible, as a feral cat’s nature is to live independently among other cats and to range freely outdoors, avoiding strangers and escaping from confinement. A feral cat may rarely learn to accept human companionship and live inside a house, but it is not the cat’s natural home, and the situation is far more stressful for the cat than living outside in its colony. Further, the amount of resources spent on trying to make a few feral cats adoptable could be better used in other ways, such as spay and neuter services.

To read more on this story, click here: Feral Cats: The Neighbors You May Never See

Researchers Trained Dogs To Sniff out COVID-19 Infections In Just A Few Days

After just a few days of training, dogs in Germany proved capable of identifying people infected with COVID-19, according to researchers. The dogs, part of a study by a veterinary university in Germany, were able to sniff out the coronavirus with stunning accuracy.

To read more on this story, click here: Researchers Trained Dogs To Sniff out COVID-19 Infections In Just A Few Days

Rare Blue Lobster Spotted at Red Lobster Before Being Cooked Finds Home At Ohio Zoo

AKRON, Ohio — The newest resident to call the Akron Zoo home is a blue lobster from Red Lobster.

The crustacean was saved from being the catch of the day at an Ohio Red Lobster restaurant when sharp-eyed workers noticed its rare blue color among the live lobster delivery.

The University of Maine Lobster Institute says the likelihood of catching a blue lobster is 1 in 200 million. The bluish color of the shell is the result of a genetic anomaly.

The restaurant reached out to the Akron Zoo on Friday to place a take-out order to donate the rare find.

To read more on this story, click here: Rare Blue Lobster Spotted at Red Lobster Before Being Cooked Finds Home At Ohio Zoo

Bored And Lonely Zoo Penguins Gifted A Bubble Machine

Newquay Zoo decided to cheer up its penguins with some bubbles.

The lockdown restrictions in Cornwall prevented the penguins from keeping up their usual routine. Staff wanted to keep the birds entertained when someone donated a bubble machine to the zoo.

“Things have had to change a little bit during lockdown,” zookeeper Dan Trevelyan told Cornwall Live. “The animals’ routines has changed a little bit on a daily basis and we’ve had to cut out some of the experiences and things they would receive throughout the day.”

A brief clip shows the penguins captivated by the steady stream of flowing bubbles in their habitat. The reason why the species enjoys chasing the bubbles so much is that it triggers their instincts as predators.

To read more on this story, click here: Bored And Lonely Zoo Penguins Gifted A Bubble Machine

Little Shih Tzu-Poodle Leads Firefighters In Wild Chase On Washington D.C. Highway

WASHINGTON D.C. - There was a wildly adorable chase down a busy highway in Maryland, but the culprit was no human. It was a little dog.

"Astro," a Shih Tzu-poodle mix who is a year and half old, led firefighters in a game of cat-and-mouse on a closed portion of Interstate 495 in Washington D.C. Officials said the ordeal started when they responded to a multi-vehicle crash on the highway Friday.

To read more on this story, click here: Little Shih Tzu-Poodle Leads Firefighters In Wild Chase On Washington D.C. Highway

His Name Is Frederik The Great, And He’s The World’s Most Handsome Horse

Move over Hasselhoff, there’s a new contender in town who just might take the title for the world’s most handsome creature. Meet Frederik the Great. He’s a Friesian stallion with long, illustrious locks and a toned, muscular build.

The photogenic Friesian is well-known for his beauty. Frederik’s fan page on has over 26,000 likes on Facebook and his majestic look is known for surfacing all over the Internet.

To read more on this story, click here: His Name Is Frederik The Great, And He’s The World’s Most Handsome Horse

Ranger Saves Overheated Dog, Carrying Him Miles Down A Rocky Trail

The summer is really heating up! A group of hikers recently witnessed just how harmful the stifling temperatures can be for a dog. Thankfully, a strong and caring park ranger came to the rescue, carrying an overheated dog on his shoulders all the way down a mountain trail and saving his life.

Group of Hiking Friends Came Upon a Struggling Dog and His Human Companion

Lexie Daniel and a group of friends hit the trails on the hills in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area. It was a brutally hot day, with temperatures in the 90’s. They came upon a man and his dog, who was obviously overheated and struggling.

To read more on this story, click here: Ranger Saves Overheated Dog, Carrying Him Miles Down A Rocky Trail

Woman Adopts Special Needs Dogs To Honor Late German Shepherd

Sadly, special needs dogs are often the hardest dogs to find homes for. Many dog lovers are worried that these dogs will cost them too much time and money. However, Tracy Fowler knows first-hand that caring for special needs dogs is such an exciting and rewarding experience.

After her German Shepherd named Hayden passed away, Fowler felt a strong urge to help more dogs in need. So, she started adopting disabled dogs in his honor. Before she knew it, she had nine dogs living in her house at once!

To read more on this story, click here: Woman Adopts Special Needs Dogs To Honor Late German Shepherd

Cat Neglected For Years Finally Gets A Haircut That Uncovers His Real Identity

Most of us had that moment growing up when we wanted to be a veterinarian. Animals operate on the very edge of “fun” and “dangerous,” which makes a profession dealing with them seem seriously cool. But as anyone who truly works with animals knows, it’s not all cuddly cats and puppies.

Shelter employees especially understand the darker side of working with animals that many people don’t know about. Day in and day out, they see heartbreaking cases — and in 2018, Douglas County Animal Care & Services in Nevada saw one of the worst situations they'd ever seen.  

To read more on this story, click here: Cat Neglected For Years Finally Gets A Haircut That Uncovers His Real Identity

Australian Veterinary Clinic Rescues Rare Golden Possum That Looks Just Like Pikachu

A small possum was rescued by a veterinary clinic in eastern Melbourne, Australia. The creature looks just like Pikachu, because o the color of its fur and its large ears.

A rescued brushtail golden possum recently went viral for her amazing orange-yellow coat

Stephen Reinisch, the veterinarian who took care of the 5-months-old possum, explained that the creature has a genetic mutation where its low melanin level caused its coat color.

To read more on this story, click here: Australian Veterinary Clinic Rescues Rare Golden Possum That Looks Just Like Pikachu

These Giant, Multi-Colored Squirrels In India Can Grow Up To 36 Inches Long

There’s a species of squirrel so large and colorful that they look like something out of a fairytale.

The Malabar giant squirrel can grow up to 36 inches long. John Koprowski is a professor and associate director at the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona, and a squirrel expert. When he visited India in 2006 and first saw the creatures, he thought they looked more like primates than squirrels.

“These are giants!” Koprowski told The Dodo.

To read more on this story, click here: These Giant, Multi-Colored Squirrels In India Can Grow Up To 36 Inches Long

Queen and Swarm of Bees Land on Towel at Cape May Beach

Dean Bloemer, of Cape May, told NBC10 he first noticed several bees swarming around a man’s umbrella on Steger Beach around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. He then saw an entire swarm land on a woman’s towel about 50 feet away from him. 

“At that time we turned around and a woman was saying, ‘Oh my goodness, bees are landing on my towel,’” Bloemer said.

To read more on this story, click here: Queen and Swarm of Bees Land on Towel at Cape May Beach

First COVID-19, Now Mosquitoes: Bracing for Bug-Borne Ills

The CDC has offered states additional help with mosquito testing this season as the coronavirus pandemic has overwhelmed state public health offices

Sophia Garabedian had been dealing with a persistent fever and painful headache when her parents found her unresponsive in her bed one morning last fall.

Doctors ultimately diagnosed the then-5-year-old Sudbury, Massachusetts, resident with eastern equine encephalitis, a rare but severe mosquito-borne virus that causes brain swelling.

Garabedian survived the potentially fatal virus after about a month in Boston hospitals, but her parents say her ordeal and ongoing recovery should be a warning as people take advantage of the outdoors this summer.

To read more on this story, click here: First COVID-19, Now Mosquitoes: Bracing for Bug-Borne Ills

Puppy Dog Eyes Are REAL, Says Science

You know that look your dog gives you when he wants something—whether it be food, a walk, a toy, or maybe just attention. His eyes get bigger and droopier, and he looks so sad that you just have to acquiesce to his wordless request. But how does he DO that? It turns out science can tell us a lot more than we ever thought we’d learn about puppy-dog eyes.

The answer, it seems, lies in two muscles, called the retractor anguli oculi lateralis muscle and the levator anguli oculi medialis muscle (RAOL and LAOM, respectively). These two muscles connect the ring of muscle around the dog’s eye to either end of his eyebrow. By using these muscles, he can tilt his eyebrows so the inner corner is lifted, giving him that wide-eyed sad look that we all know and love.

To read more on this story, click here: Puppy Dog Eyes Are REAL, Says Science