The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

FELINE 411: ALL ABOUT BLACK CATS

Silky, smooth, shiny and lovely, black cats are like little panthers right in your very own living room! Although these raven kitties have gotten a bad rap over the years, they are most certainly undeserving of it. Do you have one of these amazing cats in your life, or has one ever left a special little black paw print on your heart? I’ve dug up some super cool and fun facts about black cats for you to enjoy and share with your friends who love black cats, too!

To read more on this story click here: FELINE 411: ALL ABOUT BLACK CATS

SIGNS YOUR CAT HAS A FEVER

When your cat isn’t feeling well, you can tell right away. After all, your cat is basically your child. Cat’s can hide pain pretty easily, but what they can’t hide is when they just feel sick. Knowing what to do when your cat isn’t feeling well is something every cat owner should know. One of these, in particular, is signs your cat has a fever and the investigation work as to why which will be needed for the veterinarian.

To read more on this story, click here: SIGNS YOUR CAT HAS A FEVER

Why Did Scientists Paint Eyes on Hundreds of Cattle Butts? To Save Lives, Study Says

For four years, researchers painted fake eyes on hundreds of cattle butts for the sake of science. What seems like a silly prank, the “eye-cow technique” proved lifesaving for the animals as it made predators rethink their attack, choosing another meal instead.

The scientists say their method is a more humane and “ecologically sound” alternative to lethal control and fencing used to separate cattle from carnivores. The team even theorizes the technique could be used to prevent human-wildlife conflicts and reduce criminal activity, according to a news release. A study was published Aug. 7 in the journal Communications Biology.

To read more on this story, click here: Why Did Scientists Paint Eyes on Hundreds of Cattle Butts? To Save Lives, Study Says

Monday, August 17, 2020

Crew Rescues Cat Stuck In Tree For 3 Days After Being Dropped By Hawk

How many cat up the tree stories have we seen and heard? There is the memorable one from the first Superman movie, where the little girl goes running into her mother to tell her Fluffy was rescued by a flying man in a cape. (To which the mother promptly replies, “Didn’t I tell you to stop lying!?”) Cats routinely scale up the side of trees either in pursuit of prey or just for play.

Well, this is one story that you can chalk up to the tallest of tree stories, and this one is actually true according to first responders in Ohio. The cat in question just also happens to be named Fluffy (what cat isn’t) but according to its owner it was perched at the top of a 40 foot tree for about three days. After the third day when Fluffy wouldn’t come down she decided it was time to all the fire department.

To read more on this story, click here: Crew Rescues Cat Stuck In Tree For 3 Days After Being Dropped By Hawk

Dennis Quaid, The Actor, Adopts Dennis Quaid, The Cat

(CNN)Hollywood actor Dennis Quaid has a new furry friend -- a cute black rescue cat. Its name? Dennis Quaid.

The tale of two Dennises began when the actor heard from a local news report that a black rescue cat, also named Dennis Quaid, was resident in an animal shelter in Virginia and in need of a loving home.

To read more on this story, click here: Dennis Quaid, The Actor, Adopts Dennis Quaid, The Cat

Sunday, August 16, 2020

The Best Medium-Sized Dogs for Families

Congrats! Your kids convinced you to get a puppy (or maybe vice versa?). It’s time to research breeds well-suited for kids, active family life and commands like, “No begging at the table!” The thing is, puppies—like kids—don’t stay puppies forever. You don’t want to find yourself in a Goldilocks-type situation with a dog too big to fit comfortably in your condo or too small to enjoy regular playtime with the fam. Finding a dog that’s just right for your family, both in size and personality, is important to everyone’s happiness. Our advice? Go for a medium-sized breed.

Perhaps the best thing about focusing on medium-sized dogs is that there are so many options. Tons of breeds fall into the “medium” category, which has a fairly broad range. There’s wiggle room for these figures, but generally, dogs weighing between 20 and 65 pounds, and standing between 8 and 27 inches tall are considered medium size.

To read more on this story, click here: The Best Medium-Sized Dogs for Families

A Parasite Feasts on a Fish's Tongue Until it's Gone. Don't Worry, Humans Can't Get it

Researcher Kory Evans didn’t expect to find a tongue-eating parasite at work this week.

Evans, an assistant professor of biosciences at Rice University in Houston, has spent the past few years scanning and searching wrasses — a family of marine fish — to learn how traits evolve in the family. He's been measuring skull shapes of different types, and it’s part of an initiative he's dubbed #BackDatWrasseUp.

“While I was placing landmarks inside the mouth of one of the fishes, I realized that the inside of the mouth was pretty crowded,” he told USA TODAY.

Sometimes, it’s food. But in this particular type of fish, Odax cyanollix, he found what looked like a small crustacean.

To read more on this story, click here: A Parasite Feasts on a Fish's Tongue Until it's Gone. Don't Worry, Humans Can't Get it

What’s the Difference Between Llamas and Alpacas?

Llamas and alpacas have been used by humans for transportation and fleece production for a few thousand years. Both species are primarily found in Peru and Bolivia and are part of the camel family, Camelidae. Alpacas and llamas are two of the four lamoid species—the other two species, vicuña and guanaco, are their wild cousins. Interestingly, all four species are able to interbreed and create fertile offspring. While often conflated, alpacas and llamas differ in key ways. The most-distinguishing physical differences between alpacas and llamas are their size, their hair, and their face shapes. Also, they differ in disposition, which affects the way humans have used them over the years.

To read more on this story, click here: What’s the Difference Between Llamas and Alpacas?

Maine Coon Cat Sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star With His Human [Watch video]

Cats may not be able to speak like humans. But they make every effort to communicate with their hoomans. Cats even invented the word ‘meow’ just to interact with the hoomans. Cats surprise us every now and then. We have been domesticated them since thousands of years now. And we still don’t know anything about them.

To see the video, click here: Maine Coon Cat Sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star With His Human [Watch video]

Ear Infections In Cats: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatments

Ear infections in cats can affect both the inner ear and outer ear. Those affecting the inner ear are known as otitis media. Those affecting the outer ear are called otitis externa.

In general, otitis media infections can be more severe and dangerous to a cat’s health than otitis externa infections. If you see the signs of either type of ear infection in your cat, then you must get to a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and treatment.

To read more on this story, click here: Ear Infections In Cats: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatments

This Aquarium Has Been Closed For Almost Five Months - Now, It's Using Old Wishing Coins To Help Care For Its Animals

For one aquarium, the coins tossed into its waterfall as wishes have become something more than submerged hopes and dreams. The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores said it's transforming the forgotten change into cold, hard cash.

The public aquarium said in a Facebook post Saturday that its staff turned off its 30-foot-tall "Smoky Mountain" waterfall and rounded up all of the change visitors had tossed in.

Researchers Find A Preserved 12-Million-Year-Old Praying Mantis

We all remember the scene in the original Jurassic Park where dinosaur DNA was removed from a prehistoric mosquito stuck in amber. It’s perhaps the one thing that we all think about when we see pictures of insects stuck in amber – at least that is where my mind always goes to.

This one piece of amber doesn’t have a mosquito in it, but a praying mantis. The piece of amber was quite translucent and pale yellow in color, so it perfectly showed off the 12-million-year-old that was perfectly preserved inside.

To read more on this story, click here: Researchers Find A Preserved 12-Million-Year-Old Praying Mantis

Photographer Captured Rare Albino Elephant On Camera In Safari

Nicki Coertze was enjoying a safari while on vacation with his family in Shingwedsi, South Africa, when he witnessed something both rare and spectacular. He saw a herd of African elephants, and tucked behind one of the adults, he spotted an albino elephant calf.

Albino animals are rare and hard to find, especially when you’re not looking for them. It’s believed that one in every 10,000 mammals are born albino. Many go unnoticed in the wild because they’re far and few between.

Coertze, a 58-year old photographer, snapped several pictures of the baby hanging out by the Shingwedsi river. The photos document a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Coertze and his family.

To read more on this story, click here: Photographer Captured Rare Albino Elephant On Camera In Safari

“Sheep Pigs” Are Real And They’re Like Giant Fuzzy Dogs

We all know that sheep are quite fuzzy animals, which is part of their charm as farm animals. But when we think of pigs, we definitely don’t envision hairy animals. Quite the opposite, we think of pigs as being relatively sparse with their fur and constantly dunking themselves in mud in order to stay cool.

However, there is a “sheep pig” out there, and they’re quite the unusual-looking animal. The Mangalitsa pig is an actual fuzzy pig! They have the outward appearance of a sheep with the wooly coat, but they’re actually bred to be pets since they’re quite tamable. The breeder of the Mangalitsa pig has stated that they can be tamed just like dogs if they’re shown the right affection. As a result, these pigs have been known to follow around their owners or play with their owners – just like a dog!

To read more on this story, click here: “Sheep Pigs” Are Real And They’re Like Giant Fuzzy Dogs

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