Return my emotional support alligator (ESA) and make it snappy pleads his ‘dad’

Wally the emotional support alligator being kissed by Joie Henney. The alligator called Wally was stolen and subsequently trapped and released into the wild.

Pennsylvania, USA: Wally, a 5.5 foot long, 8-year-old alligator was classified as an emotional support animal (ESA) albeit a very unusual ESA. Any animal can be an ESA but they have to be domesticated in order to get along in public places and when meeting people. Wally was domesticated and he has behaved impeccable …

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Non-cat owners ask: “Do cats get emotionally attached to their owners like dogs?”

Timothy Hardway with his cat

To good cat owners – and the vast majority are at least decent at the job – the question in the title is bizarre and slightly upsetting as it implies that cats simply don’t become emotionally attached to their owner when obviously they do otherwise there wouldn’t be many millions of happy cats and …

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Emotionally cats help people to sleep but behaviorally they disrupt sleep

Man's sleep is disturbed by his cat! He can't breathe.

There appears to be two opposing forces in play when it comes to how cats and dogs affect human sleep. On the positive side, the emotional support and warmth that cats and dogs bring to their human caregivers promotes better sleep. On the negative side, the behavior of a companion animal – particularly cats …

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Awarding fixed damages for emotional distress on criminal damage to cats and dogs

I award $2,000 for emotional distress on the loss of you cat!

Judges should be under a legal obligation to award fixed damages for emotional distress in a claim for compensation for the illegal loss or injury of a cat or dog. In this article I’m referring to the way the courts undervalue companion dogs and cats and indeed other animals. If a person’s dog or …

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Emotional impact on TNR caregivers when their cats were shot by the authorities

The emotional impact on TNR workers when their cats were shot in Newcastle, NSW, Australia

The emotional impact on TNR caregivers when their cats were shot by the authorities is shocking. This is an interesting approach to discussing the ‘feral cat problem’. Most of the time the focus is on how to get rid of feral cats. An attitude which is predominant in Australia and New Zealand. And the …

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Domestic cats recognise through sight and sound certain human emotions and respond

Domestic cats recognise human emotions from sound and appearance

Summary of a scientific study: “Emotion Recognition in Cats” The report concerns the results of a study on cats’ ability to recognize and respond to emotional expressions in both conspecifics (other cats) and humans. The study found that cats were able to match visual and auditory signals of certain emotions, such as “hiss” from …

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Infographic on 9 emotions domestic cats feel and 1 they don’t

Emotions that domestic cats feel and one they don't

The issue of domestic cat emotions is a developing one. I think it fair to say that it is only over the past 5-10 years that the ‘experts’ have genuinely discussed feline emotions in the same way we discuss human emotions. There is a discussion, however, on whether cats experience emotions similar to those …

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