How to help dogs and cats manage separation anxiety when their humans at work

Lori M Teller, Texas A&M University

When one of my co-workers found out about a tiny, orphaned kitten that needed a home a few months ago, he didn’t hesitate to adopt it. He says his new companion helped make the months of COVID-19 isolation at home much less stressful.

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Is your cat in pain? Its facial expression could hold a clue

Lauren Finka, Nottingham Trent University

They say that eyes are windows to the soul. Indeed, research suggests this might also be true for our four-legged friends. Since the days of our most celebrated natural historian, Charles Darwin, humans have been interested in how animals communicate via their facial expressions, and how different species might express themselves in similar ways.

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It’s very unlikely your cat has coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), and if it does, it probably won’t spread it

Willie Weir, University of Glasgow

Since the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, the potential role of animals in catching and spreading the disease has been closely examined by scientists. This is because the virus that causes COVID-19 belongs to the family of coronaviruses that cause disease in a variety of mammals.

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Australia’s war on feral cats: shaky science, missing ethics

William Lynn, Clark University

In July 2015, the Australian government announced a “war on feral cats,” with the intention of killing over two million felines by 2020. The threat abatement plan to enforce this policy includes a mix of shooting, trapping, and a reputedly “humane” poison.

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Mother cat brings her kitten to the ER in Istanbul, Turkey

A stray mother cat took her baby to the ER on April 27, 2020, in Istanbul, Turkey. Doctors and paramedics helped the mother and baby and took them to a vet. According to reports, both mother and the kitten are OK and doing well. The full trust you see this stray mother have for humans will melt your heart in the amazing photos below.

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How to keep your indoor cat happy, according to science

Mark Farnworth, Nottingham Trent University and Lauren Finka, Nottingham Trent University

By 2030, 60% of the world’s population will live in cities, while one in three will share their city with at least half a million other inhabitants. With more and more people living in dense urban settings, what does the future hold for pets?

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