WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — In neighborhoods where suburban calm meets a touch of the wild, a familiar figure slips between worlds: the indoor/outdoor cat. One moment it is curled in a sunbeam, the next it is padding across a fence line, alert to every rustle of leaves and distant call of a hawk. For many cat owners, this dual life offers a compelling...Read more

CHICAGO — At a quiet street intersection in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, the imposing figure of a pine tree is only outweighed by the massive collection of sticks and twigs carefully placed on its branches. It’s a huge communal nest for monk or Quaker parakeets, who have called the structure home for the last 25 years or so.

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Female dogs prefer the competent person when opening a food container, researchers say.

“Dogs are highly sensitive to human behavior, and they evaluate us using both their direct experiences and from a third-party perspective,” researchers at Kyoto University wrote. “Dogs pay attention to various aspects of our actions and make judgments ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Purple and green tutus, boas and sparkles sprinkled the atrium of the Hart Building on Wednesday for what has become one of the most popular events on Capitol Hill: a bipartisan costume dog “pawrade.”

While this year’s celebrated Mardi Gras, the event is typically Halloween-themed — but last fall’s was canceled due to ...Read more

By the time a dog trots down a city sidewalk wearing a carefully chosen harness, seasonal sweater or custom bandana, few people stop to think how dramatically the role of dogs has changed. Once valued primarily for work—herding livestock, guarding homes or assisting hunters—today’s dogs increasingly function as companions whose appearance ...Read more

It is one of the least glamorous parts of pet ownership, but keeping an animal’s nails properly trimmed is an essential part of routine care. Long nails can cause discomfort, alter the way an animal walks and even lead to joint problems over time. For many pet owners, however, the simple task of trimming nails can feel intimidating.

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NORFOLK, Va. — For generations, the standard image of walking a pet involved a leash clipped to a collar. But in recent years, harnesses have quietly become one of the most popular pieces of pet gear on the market. From energetic dogs to adventurous housecats, more animals are heading outdoors wearing harnesses designed to make walking safer ...Read more

NORFOLK, Va. — One of the quiet realities of loving a dog for a long time is that eventually their bodies begin to change. The energetic puppy that once bounded across the yard can become a slower, greyer companion who needs more patience and care. Among the most common challenges owners face with senior dogs is incontinence — the loss of ...Read more

In many households, furniture follows an unspoken hierarchy. Certain chairs become “yours.” Specific corners of the couch feel familiar. A particular spot at the end of the bed becomes routine. And yet, the moment you step away, your dog often claims that exact location. When you return, it looks perfectly settled, as if it has always ...Read more

Across cultures, climates, and species, young mammals engage in a remarkably similar activity. They chase, wrestle, tumble, stalk, and retreat in patterns that resemble conflict but lack real danger. Puppies pounce on littermates. Kittens ambush imaginary prey. Young primates swing and spar. Even human children invent games built around pursuit ...Read more

In many households, the first sign that something is wrong does not come from a conversation or a visible argument. It comes from a dog that refuses to leave someone’s side. A cat that suddenly sleeps on a pillow it has ignored for years. A normally playful pet that becomes quiet and watchful. Long before humans articulate distress, animals ...Read more

If humans walked through the world the way dogs do, we would be overwhelmed. We navigate primarily by sight. Dogs, by contrast, inhabit a landscape of scent. What looks like a patch of grass to you is a layered archive to them — who passed by, how long ago, whether they were stressed, what they ate, whether they were healthy. A daily walk is ...Read more

To many dog owners, the daily walk is a practical necessity. It is how dogs relieve themselves, burn excess energy, and stretch their legs. Squeezed between work schedules and household obligations, walks are often treated as errands rather than experiences. Yet behavioral science suggests that this routine activity is one of the most important ...Read more

In many neighborhoods, there is at least one dog who seems to believe it has been officially appointed Chief of Security. It watches the street from the window, alerts the household to passing pedestrians, inspects every unfamiliar sound, and positions itself strategically near doors and fences. To owners, this constant vigilance can appear ...Read more