ArcaMax

In shelters across the United States, behind the clang of metal doors and the shuffle of paws on concrete floors, thousands of dogs and cats wait each day for something they don’t know how to name: a forever home. The journey from kennel to couch is not always short, nor is it simple, but when it happens, the transformation is undeniable. ...Read more

From the battlefield to Broadway, from Instagram feeds to Hollywood backlots, cats and dogs have left paw prints on history and culture in ways both surprising and enduring. Their stories reflect not just the animals themselves, but also the human societies that adored, mythologized and sometimes even depended on them.

Cats with Nine Lives ...Read more

For many pet owners, leaving a cat or dog behind while traveling feels unthinkable. As airlines, hotels and even cruise companies expand their pet-friendly policies, the possibilities for four-legged companions to join in adventures have never been greater. Still, traveling with an animal is more than simply clipping on a leash or buying a ...Read more

For as long as people have kept pets, cats and dogs have carried the reputation of being natural enemies. Children’s books, cartoons and even everyday sayings portray them as locked in constant conflict. Yet anyone who has watched a dog curl up beside a purring cat on a winter evening knows the reality can be far more complicated. Far from ...Read more

The signs of age arrive quietly. A dog that once bounded up the stairs now takes them with caution. A cat that spent nights leaping from bookshelves prefers a warm spot on the floor. As veterinary care improves and pets live longer than ever before, owners are facing a new challenge: how to keep aging cats and dogs comfortable, healthy and part ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I enjoy your column each week, but I have never seen my problem mentioned. We have a 16-year-old Schnauzer/Yorkie rescue boy. He is a wonderful dog, but he is getting very old.

A couple of years ago, we started using doggie diapers in the house because he was beginning to experience incontinence. That has helped tremendously. Now ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

I have a 30-week-old female Bengal cat named Luna, and another kitten named Jinx. They quickly bonded and now play, sleep, and cuddle together.

Jinx is male and the alpha. Luna is shy but loves attention. She still hisses at my eight-year-old son, though.

The problem is Luna urinates all over the house – on the carpet, towels, ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

Some friends of mine have two dachshunds. They are no longer puppies and still potty in the house. The owners say dachshunds cannot be trained. I don't believe it. What recommendation do you have for this situation?

— Colleen, Missoula, Montana

Dear Colleen,

Well, I have heard this many times from dachshund owners over the ...Read more

Dear Cathy,

About four years ago, we started domesticating a young cat we named Grey. We installed a cat door with a plastic flap and placed a barrier over it at night. Grey comes in to eat and sleep and sometimes spends the night indoors. While she would occasionally bring in a dead mouse or bird, this spring the hunting has ramped up.

What ...Read more