Kathleen Joyce

2 weeks ago | pethelpful.com | Kathleen Joyce

Cats really take the loss of a fellow pet to heart. I've always hated when people make the (incorrect) assumption that cats can't grieve, much less feel affection. Cats may not display their emotions as outwardly as dogs do, but that doesn't mean they aren't capable of feeling or exhibiting them. I've witnessed my own cat grieving recently after our old family dog, Kasey, passed away this May.

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Kathleen Joyce

There's hardly a soul in the world that isn't a sucker for cute, cuddly animals, and while not all of us are enthused about celebrating the passage of time (especially as we get older), most of us can appreciate the fun of a good birthday bash. So what's better than birthday parties and cute animals? Oh, I don't know... how about both of them combined? There was a marvelous birthday party at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo last week, celebrating the zoo's official oldest resident.

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Kathleen Joyce

Even in best-case scenarios, shelter can be stressful, lonely, and overwhelming places for dogs to live, much less long-term. A lot of dogs take weeks, if not months, to slowly acclimate to their new surroundings after being adopted, and many dogs that are otherwise lively and sweet adopt completely different, neurotic personalities within the confines of a shelter. That was the case with Melon, a senior Chihuahua-Pug mix who "completely shut down" at her shelter.

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Kathleen Joyce

No one wants to see a cute puppy get stuck indefinitely in the shelter or foster care system, but it's a fate that all too many wonderful dogs fall victim to. Some dogs, while still being lovable little pups, have more needs than others, and in an overcrowded and competitive shelter care system, that can really stack the odds against him. Finn is an adorable Welsh Corgi puppy, but because of his blindness (compounded with his natural Corgi sassiness), he's struggled to find a fitting forever home.

3 weeks ago | pethelpful.com | Kathleen Joyce

It's hard not to be charmed by a cute, calm, and cuddly cat (granted, I'm partial, as my own cat is sitting on my lap while I write this). It's not just humans that find cute cats adorable, though, nor even other pets—even wild animals can be taken in by a cat's charms!If nothing else, this friendly deer certainly seemed to catch the cat craze.