Companion Animal Psychology

Hannah Gold on her tortoise and her cat – and her much-anticipated children’s book, The Last Bear.

Many people rushed out to get pets when the pandemic started, but it's not an overwhelmingly positive experience. My latest post on my Fellow Creatures blog at Psych Today looks at some new research on how pets are affecting people during this time.   By Zazie Todd, PhD . The research from the University of Florida investigated people's experiences of having a pet during the pandemic as well as how their pet factored into health decisions about COVID-19. Check it out here: Some pet owners are having issues during the pandemic . 

It could be time to start working on your catio plans. Outdoors access with lower risk is good for pet cats’ quality of life. Photo: Ellie Burgin/Pexels By Zazie Todd, PhD This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. When cats are given outdoors access that is restricted, like a catio or a yard with a secure fence they can't escape from, it’s good for their welfare according to a study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science . Whether or not cats should have outdoors access is a topic with a strong cultural component. In the UK, many cats are given outdoors access for part of the day, whereas in some countries it is more common to keep cats as indoors-only pets. Could restricted outdoors access be the best of both worlds, giving cats the option to explore outside whilst protecting them from road traffic accidents and predators?  Researchers at the University of Lincoln, UK, investigated people’s perception...

Losing a pet at this time simply adds to the difficulties of the pandemic, says Dr. Shelly Volsche. Shelly Volsche's late dog, Calvin. By Shelly Volsche, PhD      My Dearest Loss,                Lo! How I love to hate thee.                Yea, I concede I love thee. We cannot deny that 2020 tested us all. Social and economic instability, immense restructuring of our daily routines, wildfires, epic storms, and, oh yes, that global pandemic. “Trying” and “unprecedented” are understatements at this point. And with all that came a profound, punctuated loss of life. Human … and nonhuman.  It is not my goal to diminish the human loss by turning our focus to nonhumans. Rather, I want to remind us that for many, the loss of our companion animals served to compound the difficulties of this year. Underlying most of my research is the concept of pet parenting . And no, I do not mean the tr...

Dogs and optical illusions, cat communication, and wildlife photos... this month's Companion Animal Psychology News.

Best-selling author Jessica Redland on her spaniel, Ella, and why she set her latest book series in a rescue centre for hedgehogs. Jessica Redland's dog, Ella. No. 10 in the series The Writer's Pet by Zazie Todd PhD . This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Jessica Redland is a best-selling author whose books are set in the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside and coast. In her latest two books, she tells the story of how Samantha Wishaw finds love and friendship whilst working to rescue sick and injured hedgehogs. Redland’s writing is praised for being captivating and enjoyable – and who can resist a story about hedgehogs?  The second book in the series, New Arrivals at Hedgehog Hollow , was just published on 7th Jan. Redland told me about her books, her pet dog, Ella, and why hedgehogs are in danger. What is your pet’s name?  I have a dog called Ella who will be 5 in March. Type of pet? She’s a sproc...

These were the most popular books on this blog last year. By Zazie Todd, PhD I’ve already shared the top posts of last year , but I thought it would be fun to look at the books that were the most popular amongst readers of Companion Animal Psychology in 2020.  Of course, since this is my blog, you would expect my own book, Wag , to feature. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the support you have shown Wag  since it came out in March 2020. It’s been heart-warming and an honour, and I really appreciate it! This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. The Top Ten Books on Companion Animal Psychology Of far more interest are the other books on the list. So without further ado, here are the top 10 print books (hardback and paperback combined): 1. Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy by Zazie Todd. 2. The Cautious Canine-How to Help Dogs Conquer Their Fears by Patricia McConnell. 3. From ...