Mel Plaut

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Mel Plaut

I can’t count how many times I’ve found an abandoned pill sitting on the kitchen floor, long after my cat had devoured the ball of tuna I’d so carefully wrapped it in. I’ve lived with pets for several decades, so I know how frustrating it can be to get them to take their meds. The whole process often turns into a battle of wills — and wiles. Out of curiosity (and slight desperation), I spoke with veterinarians, behaviorists, and my fellow animal caretakers to learn about their best pilling tactics.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Mel Plaut

After six years of research—which included plenty of scratching and snoozing—we’ve selected these five dog beds as our top picks.

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Mel Plaut

Two of my cats, Porter and Crash, were born in a dresser drawer in Brooklyn. I brought them home when I was in my 20s and they were a few months old. By my 30s, just as I was thriving in adulthood, my BFFs (best feline friends) were starting to wind down. I was lucky to live with them into my 40s, but those last 10 years were distinctly different from the first 10. There are few things that tax the human heart more than seeing beloved pets approach the end of their lives.

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Mel Plaut

When wild cats wandered out of the deserts of the Fertile Crescent and into our homes, I bet no one predicted that roughly 10,000 years later we’d be using robots to scoop their poop. Alas, here we are. If you’re willing to pay hundreds of dollars, you can outsource the unending task of shoveling clumps of cat pee and poop to an automatic litter box.

Jan 8, 2025 | nytimes.com | Mel Plaut

Protect your pup’s paws in extreme conditions with a set of boots that are easy to put on and wear (without losing on a walk).