Recently we had to bring our newly fostered cat, Tatami, to see a vet. Naturally, Tatami couldn’t quite understand what was going on and fought us with all she had.  First, it was over getting into the carrier.  She clawed hard in an attempt to escape the cold dark “jail” of the crate. When the inevitable eventually happened, she went silent for a long time - defeated, hurt, angry, upset, sullen, or perhaps terrified to be isolated and confined.  We tried talking to her, letting her know...

I love seeing our hamster Niku enthusiastically dash out of his burrow during feeding time. There is so much pleasure watching him hold a treat between his tiny paws, chewing and chomping with zest. I know I’m not the only one who enjoys watching little animals nom; a booming business is built around animal feeding in zoos and farms.  Parents whose young children eat well are blessed, as those with picky eaters might say. After all, eating is what we are naturally meant to do. It is when we...