by Barbara George, Tellington Ttouch Behaviourist The chemical nepetalactone found in the leaves of catnip plants is responsible for the behaviour of cats who react. The liking for catnip is genetic, with only around half the kittens inheriting this from their parents. Kittens generally do not react until they are six months or older. Large cats have […]

“the love you make is equal to the love you take” Nicholas Dodman, Professor Emeritus of Behavioral Pharmacology and Animal Behavior, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University Everyone thinks that dogs worship their owners – viewing them as gods of some sort. While that may be true in the majority of cases, it isn’t […]

  From mourning orcas to distressed elephants, biological anthropologist Barbara J. King has witnessed grief and love across the animal kingdom. In this eye-opening talk, she explains the evidence behind her belief that many animals experience complex emotions, and suggests ways all of us can treat them more ethically – including every time we eat. […]

by Barbara George, Tellington Ttouch Behaviourist While sleeping or napping, blood-flow to the muscles is reduced to prevent excess movement. When cats wake up, they need to get the blood flowing to the muscles and brain again, to bring fresh oxygen and remove and toxic build-up, and stretching is a good way to achieve this. Stretching also lubricates […]

Courtesy ASPCA Dental Care Regularly brushing your dog’s teeth, along with a healthy diet and plenty of chew toys, can go a long way toward keeping her mouth healthy. Bacteria and plaque-forming foods can cause build-up on a dog’s teeth. This can harden into tartar, potentially causing gingivitis, receding gums and tooth loss. Many pooches show […]

Whale populations in the Southern Ocean are even likely to benefit as Japan will lose its special research permit for scientific whaling in the region by leaving the IWC. Sui Phang, Research Fellow in Blue Governance, University of Portsmouth and Peter Bridgewater, Adjunct Professor, University of Canberra Japan recently left the International Whaling Commission (IWC) […]

Natasha Ellison, PhD Researcher, University of Sheffield Getting out into nature may seem a world away from a maths classroom. But the beauty that surrounds us has order – and one of the world’s best codebreakers was the key to unlocking it. Alan Turing may be best known for decrypting German messages in World War […]

Courtesy ASPCA There are some cats who do not tolerate being groomed. If your cat fights the grooming process, and there is some potential that injury could occur to your cat or yourself, please make an appointment with a professional groomer or veterinarian! Ear Care Your cat’s ears may be able to pick up the […]

According to our indicator, the countries with the best overall environmental performance were Central African Republic, Botswana, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Those with the worst environments were Morocco, Algeria, South Africa and Ghana. Social and economic changes in Africa are being driven by increasing prosperity and heavy foreign investment. Money has been […]

by Barbara George, Tellington Ttouch Behaviourist Keeping warm consumes energy, so does movement. In very cold weather cats will ration their energy, using the larger portion to keep warm and less for moving, playing or hunting. However, they still need to stimulated to prevent boredom and the potential unwanted behaviour that could result – aggression, scratching furniture or […]