The number of pet cats who go missing is difficult to estimate, as is the number of cats who, tragically, are never found. Sometimes cats stay lost even though their families do everything they can think of to find them. But many times, people don’t have the slightest idea how or where to even begin looking.

Kat Albrecht, an investigative pet detective, is determined to change that. After all, finding a lost cat is about more than standing outside your front door and yelling, “Here, kitty, kitty.”

If you’re caring for an incontinent cat, you may need to manually express your cat’s bladder. While it takes a bit of practice to get the hang of it, it’s a simple, straightforward procedure that anyone can learn.

When meeting new dogs, always use respect, caution, and attentive awareness. Think in terms of learning the dog’s language. Be aware of your speed while approaching any dog you don’t know; slow your pace and use a gentle tone as you approach.

How to approach a scared dog

If you know the dog is shy or fearful, change your body language. Approach toward the side of the dog, not toward his head, and avoid direct eye contact. Watch the dog out of the corner of your eye for signs of fear or aggression, such as:

Trap-neuter-return (TNR) is the only humane and effective way to reduce the number of community cats (also known as feral or ownerless, free-roaming cats). With TNR, community cats are humanely trapped, evaluated and spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian, ear-tipped to show they’ve been sterilized, vaccinated against rabies and distemper,^* and then returned to their original outdoor homes to live out their lives.

Whether or not to vaccinate pets and how often to vaccinate are among the most debated questions in veterinary medicine in recent years. It used to be so easy: You took your dog or cat to your veterinarian once a year, your pet received the recommended vaccinations and whatever other things he or she might need, and you went on your way. Now, the standard of care in veterinary medicine has changed. No longer are we vaccinating every animal every year with every vaccine available.

Whether your organization has 10 or 10,000 volunteers, the foundations of volunteer engagement are the same. The guidelines in this manual are designed to help you recruit, engage and retain exceptional volunteers in order to meet the goals and objectives of your organization.

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Rabbits have many interesting behaviors and body language quirks. What do different types of bunny behavior, postures and actions mean? Here’s a quick guide to some common bunny behaviors.

Pet bunny hopping or dancing

Hopping or dancing is a sign of pure joy and happiness. The bunny’s “dancing” can include leaping, doing a binky (jumping straight up and spinning in the air) and racing around.

Rabbit flop

A bunny flop is very comical and indicates a contented — and tired — bunny.

Once the first to be labeled unadoptable, homeless pets with special needs are rising to the top of the A-list at shelters.

In a recent call to Best Friends asking for advice, a woman in Florida explained to me that she had just rescued a large group of cats after their person passed away. They were mostly healthy and adoptable, but one was short a leg and she despaired of ever finding a home for a kitty with a disability.

“Don’t worry,” I told her enthusiastically. “That one will be the first to find a new home!”

When do you need a cat behavior consultant?

If you’re having a behavior problem with your cat and you’ve tried resolving it yourself without success, you may want to consider hiring a cat behavior consultant (aka a trainer). The resource “Why We Use Relationship-Based Training” provides information that will help you screen feline behavior consultants based on their training methods.

Halloween is a fun day for humans, but pets may become spooked (no pun intended!) by the altered appearance of their families. If your dog does not appear to recognize you and your children when you’re in costume, use caution when approaching him or her.