To explain piebald pythons, study pets and lizards

New research with pythons and lizards identifies a gene that results in white blotches, or piebald coloration, in reptiles.

Katherine Gombay-McGill • futurity
Feb. 6, 2023 ~6 min

How to tell when cats are fighting or just playing: six important clues to watch out for

Cat owners need to know the right moment to step in. Here’s how to tell.

Ineke van Herwijnen, Assistant Professor, Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University • conversation
Feb. 3, 2023 ~6 min


Our top research picks to improve your holidays

Check out some of the most interesting and useful holiday stories from years past, including food safety tips and some Yuletide history.

Camden Flath-Futurity • futurity
Dec. 21, 2022 ~5 min

Holiday foods can be toxic to pets – a veterinarian explains which, and what to do if Rover or Kitty eats them

Keeping human foods away from pets is one way to avoid emergency veterinary hospital runs during Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or New Year’s.

Leticia Fanucchi, Clinical Assistant Professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Oklahoma State University • conversation
Dec. 16, 2022 ~8 min

Why mourning a pet can be harder than grieving for a person

The death of a pet can be a deeply painful experience. But acknowledging the way pet grief is different can help people find consolation.

Sam Carr, Reader in Education with Psychology and Centre for Death and Society, University of Bath • conversation
Dec. 7, 2022 ~5 min

900 pet parrots reveal range of vocal mimicry

New research finds that many parrots use words in appropriate contexts and uncovers species differences in vocal mimicry.

U. Pittsburgh • futurity
Dec. 5, 2022 ~6 min

900 pet parrots reveal range of vocal mimicry

New research finds that many parrots use words in appropriate contexts and uncovers species differences in vocal mimicry.

Liz Goodfellow-Futurity • futurity
Dec. 5, 2022 ~6 min

Avoid food poisoning over the holidays

Get expert advice to avoid food poisoning, whether that's protecting kids from pot brownies, veggies from raw meat, or pets from dessert.

Patti Zielinski - Rutgers • futurity
Nov. 18, 2022 ~6 min


Pit bulls went from America's best friend to public enemy – now they're slowly coming full circle

A scholar of law and humanities compares bans on dogs with any pit bull genes to “one drop” laws that once classified people with even a single Black ancestor as Black.

Colin Dayan, Professor of English, Robert Penn Warren Professor in the Humanities, and Professor of Law, Vanderbilt University • conversation
Oct. 21, 2022 ~10 min

More COVID-19 fallout: Overcrowded animal shelters

A drop in pet spay-neuter surgeries due to the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to overcrowding at animal shelters across the US, a new study shows.

Eric Hamilton-Florida • futurity
Sept. 13, 2022 ~5 min

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