Being a Wall Street Journal story, of course it had a commercial slant. The essence of the article is that Mars (makers of Whiskas food and Temptations treats) is hoping to benefit from the rise in cat ownership in Gen Z households. They initiated an internal program called “Cattitude” to get their dog-loving employees on board with this new cat emphasis.
Buying Love with Treats
Their research revealed that, compared to cat-only owners, dog-only owners were 32% more likely to give daily treats.
Products and cats connect through people. So Mars also investigated cat owners’ concerns, and cited their findings from typing “does my cat…” into a Google search: the top two results were “love me” and “know I love her.” I did the same search with DuckDuckGo and found that, among the top eight searches that came up, four questioned owner-cat love and one “does my cat hate me.”
So, my search confirmed the WSJ conclusion that cat owners often suffer from “feline insecurity.” The Mars solution is to produce foods and treats that cats like better, often with a new twist. For example, lickable spoons to be hand held “to create what the company calls an ‘enhanced bonding moment.’”
Giving Love, Getting Cattitude
So do cat owners know love when they see it?
Cats show their love in many quirky and subtle ways. According to a veterinarian, weird things cats do when they love you include slow blinking, kneading, bringing gifts, head bunting, wrapping their tails around you, and showing their belly. Other signs are purring, grooming, sitting next to you, following you around, and even mooning you as a sign of trust (YouTube.) Animal Wellness Magazine published an article explaining ten sometimes-confusing ways cats show affection for their humans.
And cats communicate lots more than affection through their behaviors. For example, chattering when they see prey indicates excitement or frustration, while rubbing their head on you (bunting) shows marking territory as well as affection. Kneading reflects contentment or stress relief, and sleeping in small spaces like boxes makes them feel safe. Eye contact, slow blinking, and tail wagging can signal trust, affection, or alertness. When they bring gifts, it’s a sign of sharing their hunting success and affection. Understanding these behaviors helps strengthen your bond with your cat.
Problematic Cattitude
Of course, not every feline oddity signals pleasant feelings. Worrisome cat behaviors may indicate health or stress problems.
Aggression
Litter box issues
Excessive scratching
Sudden changes in eating, drinking, or activity levels
House-soiling
Increased vocalization
Over-grooming
These signs should prompt a vet visit, as they could signal medical or behavioral issues (PetMD, MedVet, Brookside Vet).
Bottom Line: To make the most of cat ownership, “listen” to what your cat is telling you.
The Wall Street Journal recently (7/2/25) featured a story about rich people in Sǎo Paulo, Brazil who pay up to $200 per hour for an off-duty police officer and his scent hound to find lost pets. Sometimes the cost of flights to and from far parts of the country were added to the bill to find the missing pet. I may be in the minority here, but that seemed truly shocking to me.
Cost of Finding a Lost Pet
So of course I searched online for more info. Several options came up immediately.
(Please note: the citations in this article are informational examples and imply no endorsement or recommendation!)
“Lost pet? Don’t panic. We’re here every step of the way – 24/7 support and guidance. Find Your Lost Pet in Your City. 8000+ Pets Found. Start now! Start in 1 Minute. 5 Stars on Google & FB. 100% Satisfied Guarantee. 24/7 Direct Help. Not satisfied? Money Back. 68% Gets Found.”
“Find Your Lost Pet And Alert Local People on Facebook & Notify the Rescue Squad™, For Free. Put Out a Free Alert! We Have Over 4 Million Pet Lovers in Our Alert Network. Boost Recovery Chances. Post A PawBoost Alert. Email Shelters For Free. Notify Thousands Nearby.”
Pet Detectives
The Pet Detectives is a company that has established itself as a market leader in the investigation of animal theft and the recovery of stolen and missing cats… This company is located in the UK, and has a TV show Pet Detectives.
As in most other professions, there are specialists. For example:
12 Years of Pet Detective Experience After thousands of lost cat cases all over the world, I’ve learned there is no “cookie-cutter advice” for every lost cat case. What does work is tailoring your strategy to your situation (indoor-only cat or outdoor access) with methods curated for each cat’s personality.
According to the Brazilian pet detective in the WSJ article, dogs want to be found but cats, not so much.
But even if your pet never leaves home, pet love can be pricey! The rest of this article will focus on cats and dogs because they are the most common pets in the U.S.
The Cost of Acquiring a Pet
American Curl
As a cat owner for more than twenty years, I was aware primarily of relatively small veterinary bills. The cats had come free, one from a shelter, the other from a farmer’s barn. I was completely unaware that people actually pay for cats, sometimes a lot. I found one listing that said buying an American Curl, for example, costs $1000 to $2000. They are really cute, but still…
Cats
A 2019 Yahoo article, “The Most and Least Expensive Cat Breeds in the World,” quotes what it calls “sometimes staggeringly high prices” for 15 cat breeds. Here are the acquisition cost estimates the article listed for the world’s most expensive breeds:
An article at Brownsburg Animal Clinic compared purchase prices for popular purebred and crossbred dogs, finding (not surprising to me) that purebreds are more expensive than crossbred dogs.
French Bulldog
Labrador Retriever $650 to $4,000
French Bulldog $3,000 to $10,000
Golden Retriever $750 to $5,000
German Shepherd $300 to $3,200
Standard Poodle $300 to $3,000
Average purebred price $1,000 to $5,040
Despite these purebred costs, cats are generally cheaper than dogs due to lower adoption fees, and because they require less maintenance and fewer resources.
How much do animal shelters typically charge for adoption fees? A discussion on Quora provided a few examples (Jun 15, 2023): “At my shelter puppies are the most expensive. Cost depends on age. Dogs range from $450 to $100. Kittens are $125. Cats $40 to $20.”
The Animal Humane Society of Minnesota uses a sliding scale to determine adoption fees. Pets with special needs or who have been in the shelter longer can be adopted at a lower cost than others. They also have an option to delay the decision. If you need more time to complete an adoption, you can place an animal “on hold” for 24 hours for a fee of $30 for dogs and cats, or $10 for all other animals.
But back to veterinary bills: Of course the cost of veterinary bills varies depending on the type of visit, the location, and the specific needs of the pet. Routine vet visits in 2025 can range from $70 to $174 for dogs and $53 to $124 for cats. Emergency vet visits can be significantly more expensive, potentially ranging from $200 to $10,000.
Besides emergency care, modern veterinary hospitals provide virtually all the types of care that human hospitals do. Veterinarians help owners keep pets healthy as well as treating infections and injuries. Many veterinary services treat chronic medical conditions, including arthritis, cancer, physical therapy, cardio-pulmonary services, etc.
Cost of Online Pet Doctors
Just like human healthcare providers, many veterinarians are now offering services online. Virtual appointments offer pets the same convenience and accessibility as their owners. Additionally, they allow pets who become anxious or volatile in a vet’s office to see their doctors in a calm, familiar environment.
However, most online veterinarians cannot diagnose pets or prescribe medications over the internet.
Cost of Pet Insurance
No wonder so many people opt for pet insurance! This, too, is a big market. Pet insurance typically comes in three options: accident-only, accident and illness, and wellness. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, the average monthly pet insurance premium for accident and illness coverage is $56.30 for dogs and $31.94 for cats. However, there are plans for as little as $16 a month for dogs and $10 a month for cats.
Owners can even get a credit card specifically for pet health care—though why one would not use any regular credit card is a mystery to me. Some companies, such as All Pet or CareCredit, offer special rates and cashback options for healthcare spending.
Cost of Routine Maintenance
The annual cost of cat ownership can range widely, but generally falls between $340 and $4000. It depends on factors like food and litter choices, veterinary care needs, and whether the cat requires ongoing medical treatment.
For dogs, a recent survey gives an average annual cost of $4,512. These costs also vary widely, depending on the same factors as for cats.
Food alone is notable: the annual cost of dog food can range from $250 to $700. The annual cost of cat food can range from $225 to $1,980, depending on the brand, type of food, and frequency of feeding.
No doubt you are aware of what I call TV advertised convenience: Fresh Pet and Chewy will deliver to your door—for a fee.
Bottom Line: Consider the above factors when you think of pet ownership (whether cat, dog, or something else entirely), consider your personality and finances, and then decide the price you will pay for pet love.
Because April is Dog Appreciation Month AND Canine Fitness Month, I’ve been posting about dogs on FaceBook almost daily. But there are dozens more—different—fun facts about dogs out there, and not enough April days left to share them. So, for your reading pleasure, from across the web:
There are over 75 million pet dogs in the U.S.—more than in any other country—and a third of ALL households around the world have a dog.
Part of the Family
Forty-five percent of dogs sleep in their owner’s beds. Here’s hoping they share the blanket!
Seventy percent of people sign their dog’s name on their holiday cards. If you want your dog to actually sign, use a nose print. Dog (and cat) nose prints are unique.
A study at UCSD claims that your dog can genuinely get jealous when they see you display affection for another creature.
Dogs can experience separation anxiety. If this is true of your dog, try leaving some clothing you’ve worn with your pet. It’s been proven that the scent you leave behind on your clothes can help ease your dog’s separation anxiety.
Yawning is contagious — even for dogs. Research shows that the sound of a human yawn can trigger a yawn from a dog. And it’s four times as likely to happen when it’s the yawn of a person the pet knows.
Dog Sensitivity
Dogs have wet noses for a few reasons. The moisture helps to absorb scent chemicals, sweat glands on the snout help regulate temperature, and many dogs lick their noses to clean them or taste dirt that may be there.
A dog’s sense of smell is legendary, but did you know that their nose has as many as 300 million scent receptors? In comparison, a human nose has about 5 million. Your dog can smell 40 times better than you can.
The Bloodhound ’s sense of smell is so accurate that law enforcement agents can use the results of its tracking as evidence in some courts of law. An old Scottish word for this type of dog was “sleuth-hound” from which we derive the word “sleuth” for a detective.
Your dog can smell your feelings. In fact, your dog’s sense of smell is approximately 100,000 times better than yours. So it shouldn’t be shocking that they can in fact, smell things such as fear. When a human is fearful, they perspire, and a dog is easily able to pick up on this change.
Dogs can be trained to detect cancer and other diseases in humans. Cancerous cells release different metabolic waste products than healthy cells in the human body. Dogs may even be able to sniff out cancer cells simply through smelling someone’s breath.
All puppies are born deaf. As they get older, they can hear 4 times better than humans.
Adult dogs have fantastic hearing! They can detect high-pitched noises and spot sounds from much further away than humans can.
Dogs are not color-blind. They can see blue and yellow.
Dogs don’t see in as much detail as humans. Perfect sight for a human is 20:20, but for a dog, it’s 20:70 or 20:80. However, dogs track movement better than people because of a structure in their eye called a visual streak, which humans don’t have. So they’re very good at seeing horizontal movement and tracking it, even if visually they might not be able to make out what, precisely, is moving.
Dogs have about 1,700 taste buds. (We humans have between 2,000 and 10,000.) However, dogs are more sensitive to impurities in water than humans are, making it very important to ensure your dog always has access to clean, fresh water.
Dog Intelligence
Dogs have a sense of time. They have proven in multiple studies that they know the difference between one hour and five. Often they can predict future events, such as regular walk times.
Dogs can also “tell time” from scent. Your dog will start getting excited or more active around the time you come home from work each day. They do this because we are creatures of habit and are typically gone the same amount of time every day. When we leave our scent in the house, it fades over time; when we get home, that scent is at a certain level. Dogs become conditioned that we will return when our scents hit that lower level.
Your dog is as smart as a two-year old! Ever wonder why children around this age seem to have a special bond with the family dog? It could be because they speak the same language, roughly 250 words and gestures.
Not all mammals understand pointing but dogs and humans do. Dogs even understand pointing when you do it with your eyes and not your hands.
Stray dogs in Russia have learned how to ride the subway system, and get off at specific stops in search of food.
From their ears to their eyebrows, shoulders, and tail, dogs use signals and smells, as well as sound, to communicate! Their posture makes a big difference, too.
Dog Health
Dogs mostly pant to cool themselves. They have sweat glands between their toes; sweaty paws dogs help to stay cool. This also gives them the added benefit of a better grip.
Dogs have three eyelids. They have upper and lower eyelids, but also a third eyelid underneath, known as the nictitating membrane. This membrane serves multiple functions, including clearing the cornea of any particles or debris, producing tears, and acting similarly to a lymph node to battle potential infections.
A majority of strays that end up in shelters are pets who are lost simply because they don’t have any identification. Additionally, Fourth of July is the busiest time of year for animal shelters: many pets are so frightened of loud fireworks that they run away.
Chocolate can be deadly to dogs due to containing the ingredient theobromine. Dogs cannot metabolize theobromine, and ingesting chocolate could cause a severely toxic buildup in their system, which could become fatal. American chocolate is bad but not typically lethal.
Xylitol is super poisonous. This includes gum, toothpaste and rarely peanut butter. A stick of gum is usually an ER visit, a handful of Hershey’s kisses is usually not deadly.
Health Benefits of Dogs for Humans
Petting a dog can actually benefit your physical and mental health. Studies have shown that petting a dog for 15 minutes can lower blood pressure by 10%, combat loneliness, and help lower feelings of stress and depression.
Children living in a home with a pet dog tend to develop stronger immune systems and have lower incidences of asthma. Scientists speculate this is a result of being exposed at an early age to allergens and bacteria that a dog introduces to the home.
Human blood pressure goes down when petting a dog. And so does the dog’s.
The average dog sleeps for about half of every day, or around 12–14 hours. That figure is higher for puppies, older dogs, and larger breeds.
A dog’s sleeping patterns are nearly identical to a human’s. Like us, they go through three phases during NREM sleep and also experience REM sleep. However, a dog’s sleep cycle is a lot shorter than ours: while we go through an average of five cycles a night, a dog can go through 15-20 cycles.
All dogs dream, but puppies and senior dogs dream more frequently than adult dogs.
Dogs can be unpredictable if they’re woken suddenly. They may bite or nip purely as a reactive response to being startled, so it’s always better to let your sleeping dog lie. If you really have to rouse them, do it with a gentle voice – not a hand. But don’t wake them from a bad dream, as they may react badly.
One reason for your dog snoozing on their back, paws in the air may be because s/he feels safe and secure, showing total trust. There’s also a possibility that your dog is too hot, particularly in the summer. There’s less hair on their belly, so heat can leave their body more easily. Plus, as dogs sweat through their paws, in this position they’re catching a breeze.
A dog sleeping on its side also indicates they are feeling relaxed and comfortable. It’s another sign of trust, and a dog will often enter REM sleep and dream in this position.
Dogs curl up in a ball when sleeping to protect their organs — a holdover from their days in the wild, when they were vulnerable to predator attacks—but it is also a way to conserve heat.
Special Dogs
Rin Tin Tin, the famous German Shepherd, was rescued from a bombed-out dog kennel in France during World War I. After the war, he was brought back to the U.S., where he (and his offspring) starred in 27 movies. He was nominated for an Academy Award in 1929.
Three dogs survived the historical sinking of the Titanic in 1912: a Pekingese named Sun Yat Sen, a Pomeranian named Lady, and another unnamed Pomeranian. All three sailed in First Class cabins.
The Guinness Book of World Records names Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, as the oldest dog to ever live. Bluey lived to be 29 years 5 months old and lived from 1910 to 1939.
The town of Idyllwild, California elected their first mayor in 2012, Mayor Max. But Max wasn’t just any regular mayor, he’s a Golden Retriever! Although Mayor Max passed away in 2013, the town elected Mayor Max II in 2013, and Mayor Max III in 2022. Way to go, Mayor Max!
According to Guinness World Records, a Great Dane named Zeus was the world’s tallest male dog ever. Zeus was 3 feet, 5.18 inches tall. He could drink from the kitchen sink, and his family has to buy a larger vehicle to fit him better.
What about the shortest dog? Guinness World Records gives that title to Pearl the Chihuahua. She measures 3.59 inches tall.
Interesting Breeds
Dachshunds were originally bred to fight badgers. In fact, their name means “badger dog” in German!
Newfoundlands make great lifeguards because they have water-resistant coats and webbed feet. They can also swim for unusually long distances, even while pulling a would-be drowning victim to safety.
Dalmatian puppies are born completely white; they develop their spots as they get older.
Maltese dogs have hair instead of fur. This means that, although their hair falls out like a human’s does, they do not shed fur and dander. Thus, they are ideal pets for allergy sufferers.
The Labrador Retriever has been on the AKC’s top 10 most popular breeds list for longer than any other breed. It is originally from Newfoundland, descending from the St. John’s Water Dog.
It may stem from the black-faced mountain sheep common in Scotland, called “coollies.”
A Northern English dialectal term for coal is coaley, possibly referring to the breed’s black patches.
In Old Gaelic, collie was a rural description of anything useful, which Collie dogs assuredly are. Collies are still among the most popular herding dogs today!
Another potential Gaelic root, cuilein, means a puppy or cub.
The Scandinavian name Colle was often used to refer to any dog in Medieval English, as seen in Chaucer’s works.
Chow Chow and Shar-Pei are the only two dog breeds with fully black tongues. I couldn’t find any explanation for why this trait was bred into these dogs. According to one legend, the Chow Chow’s tongue turned blue while it was helping a monk paint the night sky.
The Australian Shepherd is not actually from Australia. In fact, they are an American breed.
A person who hunts with a Beagle is known as a “Beagler.” (Not to be confused with a “Beaglier” dog, which is a cross between a Beagle and a Cavalier spaniel!)
Basenjis don’t bark. Instead they yodel (called a “barroo”), whine, and occasionally scream as a means of communicating. Their barkless traits have earned them a nickname: “The African Barkless Dog.”
The Norwegian Lundehund is the only dog breed created for the job of puffin hunting.
Greyhounds can beat cheetahs in an extended race. While cheetahs can run twice as fast as Greyhounds, they can only maintain that 70 mph speed for about thirty seconds. A Greyhound can maintain a 35 mph speed for about seven miles. The cheetah may start out first, but the Greyhound would soon overtake them.
And then there are working dogs: sled dogs, herders, trackers, search and rescue specialists, drug (or other) sniffers at airports, hunters, racers….
Dog Miscellany
When your dog is carefully choosing the perfect place to do their business, they may be leaving a message for other dogs, finding a surface they prefer, looking for a safe spot, or simply prolonging their time outside. They may even prefer to poop in alignment with the Earth’s magnetic field!
When dogs kick backward after they go to the bathroom, it’s not to cover it up, but to mark their territory, using the scent glands in their feet.
Dogs share 99.9% of their DNA with wolves. The Alaskan Malamute and Siberian Husky may have the closest DNA to their wild cousins.
Like right-handed and left-handed humans, most dogs have a dominant paw. To figure out which one it is, note which paw your dog most often starts with when getting up and walking.
A study shows that dogs are among a small group of animals who show voluntary, unselfish kindness towards others without any reward.
Dogs are able to breathe out through their mouth and nose at the same time. Their noses can separate air for sniffing and air for breathing. A dog’s nostrils are also able to move air out of their lungs while simultaneously moving air in across their scent receptors!
More than half of U.S. presidents have had at least one dog during their time at the White House. And then there’s Calvin Coolidge, who had at least 12!
The term “man’s best friend” was coined for a hound dog named Old Drum. A neighbor shot him, and his owner took the neighbor to court and proceeded to give one of the finest speeches defending the relationship of humans and dogs. This speech is forever immortalized on a plaque in front of a hound statue, located in front of the court house in Warrensburg, Missouri. The speech is available online. If you want to know more, look up “Burden vs Hornsby Old Drum”.
So, while I searched broadly, being totally comprehensive wasn’t possible. There are always more things to learn about dogs. Enjoy exploring!
Bottom Line: Dogs are useful, complex, fascinating, and—dare I say decorative? There’s lots to appreciate about dogs, all through the year!
It’s here, it’s there! In the car. Under the china cabinet. On book shelves—and books. Curled into dust bunnies in closet corners. Where on earth does all that dust come from? Short answer? Nearly everywhere!
Wherever it comes from, dust is fine particles of solid matter, heavy enough to see and light enough to be carried by the wind.
What Makes Dust?
Pay no attention to the cuteness – these creatures are dangerous!
Tiny fragments of human skin account for 20-50% of household dust! People are generally aware of dry skin on the scalp and body. Now you know: it doesn’t just disappear! If you sleep on flannel sheets, your bed might look like you have full-body dandruff. (Told to me by a friend!)
Pets also shed skin cells. People who are allergic to cats, dogs, guinea pigs or whatever, are allergic to that pet’s dander. Personally, I have a major anaphylactic response (throat swelling, unable to breathe) to guinea pig dander—even to a room where a guinea pig has been! In Peru, guinea pig meat is a traditional and major source of protein. It turns out, I can eat guinea pig, I just can’t be around them.
Hair is usually seen in strands, but can disintegrate into dust, too.
Dangerous Dust
Smoke and ash often go together. You smell smoke because of the particles coming in contact with your nasal membranes. And as you all know, excessive exposure to smoke or ash can be deadly. But don’t forget volcanic ash!
Pollen season where I live washes the world in chartreuse.
Those spring days when your vehicle seems to have been powdered in yellow, you can see pollen dust. But even when you can’t see it, airborne pollen can adversely affect breathing.
Bacteria are dust? Yep. Or at least they are in dust. The most common ones are staphylococcus and streptococcus, both common on human skin and relatively prevalent in our everyday lives.
Dust that is small bits of dirt or rock are hazardous to one’s lungs with long or repeated exposure. Think black lung disease for coal miners. Ditto asbestos used in construction. Even plaster or chalk dust.
Wind moves dust in dry places. A small wind gust can swirl debris almost anywhere, such as the driveway or a city street. A strong, well-formed, relatively short-lived whirlwind makes a dust devil. It can be short or tall, like a swirling cone of dust.
A gigantic dust cloud engulfs a ranch in Boise City, Okla., in 1935.
Big winds, over expansive areas can form dust storms. This happened long-term in the 1930s across the American and Canadian prairie. The result was called the Dust Bowl, and great damage to the ecology and agriculture.
People with asthma or other breathing problems pay close attention to the daily air quality index, which is affected by all these sources of dust pollution.
Useful Dust
Scott Wade turns dusty cars into fantastic works of art!
Is there anything good about dust? I mean apart from children being able to write their names on tables, cars, etc.
Beauty, maybe? You can buy sea salt spray for your hair, purported to offer texture, a natural look, and to counter some of the oil on hair to give you an extra day of good style between washes.
Sea spray (aerosol particles of salt crystals from the ocean) is formed mostly by bursting bubbles where the sea meets the air, transferring matter and energy between the ocean and the atmosphere. It’s most obvious when it dries on surfaces.
Dust particles help in pollination of plants.
Then, too, individual dust particles are a major part of rain. Water vapor in clouds condenses (turns to liquid) around invisible dust particles. A “grain” of dust is likely at the center of every raindrop.
In agriculture, dust can enhance soil fertility and improve crop growth. Adding rock dust to fields can also help to capture carbon in the atmosphere, potentially helping to reverse climate change.
In industry, dust can be used in the production of such materials as concrete and ceramics.
During Holi, celebrants throw colored dust (typically made of corn starch and dye) on each other to celebrate spring, love, and the triumph of good over evil.
Among the benefits of dust is that it reduces the air temperature, as well as reduces the risk of toxic gases in the atmosphere.
Exposing children to dust through gardens and dust in the child’s natural surroundings enhances children’s immunity.
Household dust actually purifies the air by neutralizing ozone that can harm our lungs—because one of the major components of house dust is human skin, which contains the ozone-eliminating component squalene.
Dust is important for survival because it plays a role in a range of physical, chemical, and bio-geological processes, and interacts with the cycles of energy, nitrogen, carbon, and water that are necessary for Earth system functions.
Bottom Line: Like so many things, dust is good for you—in moderation.
In Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series of fantasy novels, “dust” is actually an elemental particle responsible for consciousness.
Papua New Guinea was long isolated from the rest of the world. The island is mountainous, and tribes located in tiny villages have warred with one another for five hundred generations. Even today, almost a thousand languages can be found (approximately 12% of all the languages spoken in the world). It is a wild place, where the outside world has had little influence, and cannibalism may be practiced, though there is some debate on how widespread the custom is today.
Actually, the only tribe which may still practice cannibalism is the Korowai tribe (a.k.a. Kolufu) in south-eastern Papua/south-eastern part of the western part of the New Guinea. But still, that is one marker of how very different human societies can be.
Archeological records suggest that pigs were introduced to New Guinea between 2,500 and 10,000 years ago, by way of a land bridge to Asia that has since disappeared. Pigs play important roles among the peoples of Papua, especially so among those living in the Central Highlands.
Apart from pigs and deer (originally brought in by the Europeans) there are not many mammals on these islands. So, yes, pigs are bred for their meat, but they are rarely killed just for eating.
The Pig Culture
In a section known as Kaulong, a pig culture prevails. The people believe pigs and humans are on a single continuum of existence, such that pigs may behave more or less like humans and humans may behave more or less like pigs.
Villagers say, “Pigs are our hearts!” Young pigs are treated as pets: they share their owner’s cooked food, are ritually named and baptized, are given magical treatments for illness, and women pre-chew tubers to feed to weak piglets.
The men own the pigs. Although there is some assertion that women or children (rarely) own a pig, the counter argument is that the man has “given the pig into their care” and thus they speak of it as their own.
Raising pigs is an important responsibility, and there is no argument that women are the ones who care for these precious animals.
At birth, powdered lime is blown into the nostrils of the piglet to make it forget its natural mother and cause it to bond with its human one.
Pigs are named, and share the women’s sleeping quarters. The women pet and handle them. Occasionally, small pigs unable to compete against siblings or orphaned piglets were breast fed by nursing mothers.
(If you search for “woman suckling pig” online, you can find images: a Huli woman breast feeding a child and a piglet the same time; and a Chimbu woman in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea breast feeding a piglet.)
Pigs are sacrificed in some places to appease the ancestral spirits, and they play central roles at major rites of passage: births, weaning of children, initiation of boys, a girl’s first menstruation, weddings, and funerals. The most frequent occasion for eating pig meat is a funerary cremation.
Pig killing/eating accompanies many undertakings, such as house building and boat building.
Much feasting accompanies festivals in which local men of influence match themselves in prestige competitions.
Pigs are exchanged at peacemaking ceremonies after violent disputes.
A special occasion at which pig meat is eaten every day for weeks on end by men, women, and children, is during the major pig feasts, held at regular intervals.
There are two exceptions: a pig which is sick, and a pig which has been stolen. Such pigs would be consumed as soon as possible, without the usual ceremony.
Pigs for Status and Trade
Pigs are important symbol of political and social power. The more pigs an individual has, the more pigs he can give away, leading to bigger feasts and a higher social status.
Pigs are the main dowry offered in exchange for brides.
The most valuable pig to own is a “tusker.” These are pigs which have had their upper canines removed by a specialist, so that their lower canines can grow unimpeded, sometimes—after ten or twelve years—turning in a full circle to re-enter the lower jaw. After the ceremonial removal, the owner will use spells and all-night ceremonies to enhance that growth.
Adult tribe members blacken their own teeth with manganese oxide because white, visible teeth signify aggression (like a pig’s tusks). Tusks are made into ornaments, which a man must kill another man to earn permission to wear. When men are challenging another tribe in battle, they clench pigs’ tusks between their own teeth to appear more aggressive: “Watch out. I can be like a pig. I am powerful and dangerous.”
BOTTOM LINE: Pigs are a very valuable commodity in this part of the world, because they are used to buy brides, in general commerce and trading, for feasts and important ceremonies. Pig ownership is a sign of a man’s wealth. Thus—at (virtually) all costs—pigs are kept alive and pampered until needed. Seems like hog heaven to me!
On April 13, 2018, I posted Pets: A Treasure Trove for Writers focusing on how people treat their pets and how pets might fit into plot points and scenes. Now, I’m turning to the ways pets reflect their owners, and the things an informed character might deduce from simply knowing another character’s pet choice(s). These are group data, of course, so as a writer you need to decide whether your character reflects the norm or is an outlier.
Cat owners are the most dependable and emotionally sensitive.
Reptile owners are the most independent.
2) Comparing dog people and cat people:
Dog people are 15% more extroverted, 13% more agreeable, and 11% more conscientious.
Cat people are 12% more neurotic and 11% more emotionally open.
Dog owners are healthier: handled stress better, were more relaxed, had higher self-esteem, and were less likely to be diagnosed with depression.
3) Richard Wiseman concluded that people often see their pets’ personality as a reflection of their own. Maybe a character could ask, “So, what’s your X like?”
4) Younger people who are disagreeable tend to prefer aggressive dogs.
5) Dog owners tend to seek different qualities in their dogs depending on their political leanings:
Liberals want dogs that are gentle and relate to their owners as equals.
Conservatives want dogs that are loyal and obedient.
6) Likelihood of owners cleaning up after their dogs:
35.3% of males; 58.2% of females.
18.2% of those who are lower income; 68.7% of those with higher income.
72.6% of those who kept their dogs on a leash.
The website medium.com has published at least two articles on this topic: “What Your Pet Says Abut Your Personality and Career” (Mitch Fodstad, 3/6/2017) and “What Your Pet Says About You” (Dustin Bilyk, 1/10/18). The Bilyk article was written for humor and is basically an opinion piece, but you might want to read it for inspiration about a character’s opinions. In addition to personality and career, life stage is addressed. All of the following points come from these two articles. Not surprisingly, there is some overlap with the points above. So, by pet, here are the generalities:
Snake people: Owners are unconventional and novelty-seeking, may be bad-ass or wannabe bad-ass, and may have a kinky side. FYI, male snakes are so focused on reproducing that they don’t even eat during mating season and many of them die. Snake owners tend to lead unusual lives and make impulsive decisions. They’re eager for the next move, even when unsure what that move might be.
Common careers: engineer, social worker, marketing/public relations professional, editor/writer, or police officer.
Turtle people: They are hard-working and reliable. Turtle owners harness exceptional commitment, which drives quality performance and bodes well for upward mobility to a higher social class.
Common careers: engineer, social worker, marketing/public relations professional, editor/writer, or police officer.
(VL: Note the similarities with other reptile people as described above.)
Fish people: They are optimistic and not materialistic, unconcerned with possessions. They prefer low-maintenance pets. Fish owners are hopeful and confident about the future.
Common career choices: human resources, financial professional, hotel and leisure professional, farming/fishing/forestry professional, or transportation professional.
Bird people: These pet owners tend to be outgoing and friendly, expressive, and socially confident. They communicate effectively and may include some of the most powerful visionaries.
Common careers: advertising professional, sales person, construction worker, or administrative professional.
Cat people: Cat owners tend to be adventurous, creative, and anxious. They enjoy new experiences, often have vivid imaginations, and are likely to be less sociable than dog owners.
Common careers: physician, real estate agent, science/medical technicians, machine operator, or personal caretaker.
Dog people: These people tend to be extroverted, confident, and risk-averse.
Common careers: professor, nurse, information technology professional, military professional, or entertainer.
Frankly, I find the links between pet, personality, and careers more suggestive than factual. Writers should still consider the narrative possibilities of such links.
Scientific American MIND published on-line an overview of the research into what pets say about their owners (Karen Schrock Simring, 9/1/15). There isn’t much data published in peer-reviewed academic studies, but lots of information is available from huge market surveys within the pet industry and survey responses from pet owners. Because I don’t want to footnote specific statements, I am not combining info from this article with related statements above.
If a character has a dog, he or she is more likely to be in senior management and consider their pet part of the family; live with family members, not have a college degree (although other research suggests dog owners are likely to be a professor, nurse, information professional, military professional, or entertainer); be extroverted, agreeable, and conscientious; have gotten the dog from a shelter or rescue group; live in Arkansas, New Mexico, Kentucky, Missouri, or West Virginia.
If the character’s pet is a cat, they are more likely to be divorced, widowed, or separated; live in an apartment; be neurotic and open to new experiences; be college educated; be a physician, real estate agent, science or medical lab technician, machine operator, or personal caregiver; be less socially dominant; live in Vermont, Maine, Oregon, South Dakota, or Washington state.
If the character owns a bird, they are more likely to be unemployed, describe themselves as caring and polite, be outgoing and expressive (and socially dominant if female), and live in California, Oregon, Washington state, or Nevada.
Horse owners tend to be more assertive and introspective and less warm and nurturing; be aggressive and socially dominant if he is male but non-aggressive and easygoing if she is female; hold an advanced degree; be married and a homeowner; live in a rural area; reside in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, or Louisiana. They are most likely to describe themselves as dependable and self-disciplined.
Cold-blooded exotic pet owners if female, are more open to new experiences than male owners or female owners of traditional pets; if male, they are much less agreeable than female owners or male owners of traditional pets.
If the pet is a snake, the character may describe themselves as neat and tidy, relaxed and unpredictable; be unconventional and novelty seeking; and consider their pet “part of the family.”
If the character’s pet is a turtle, that character is more likely to be hardworking, reliable, and upwardly mobile, and describe themselves as rational and goal-oriented.
Fish owners are most likely to describe themselves as calm and emotionally stable.
Rabbit owners describe themselves as sympathetic, warm, and open to new experiences.
Hamster owners were the most likely to have an advanced degree.
Guinea pig owners were least likely to describe themselves as extroverted.
Owners of unusual pets were more likely to have a menagerie. For instance, more than half of ferret owners said they had six or more pets. Dog owners, on the other hand, were the most likely to have only one pet.
More than half of cat owners are fond of both cats and dogs. More than half of dog owners say they only like canines.
Beyond the most common pets, people make a pet of almost any animal: chickens, exotic insects, possums, pigs, etc.
Writers note: For people who have pets, those pets are often integral to how owners see themselves. For example, some men who want to look tough may get a tough-looking dog. Some people have rabbits or poodles because that’s the family tradition. Some people who feel misunderstood may seek “misunderstood” pets such as spiders. If you give your character a pet, choose it for a reason!
And in spite of it all, keep in mind that although 68% of U.S. households have pets, that leaves 32% pet-less.
This insert with the Sunday Richmond Times Dispatch has been lying around since March 11, thoughts of ways it might be useful to writers niggling at me. It’s finally come to fruition. And I can testify—on the basis of my middle daughter—that the points made in this brief article apply to pets other than dogs!
Most obviously, you might have a character who is overboard on his/her pet. (If your character owns a cat, surely you can get comparable info online.) Indulging a pet could lead to teasing, ridicule, even ostracism.
But moving on: What about the pet service providers? Suppliers of pet party items. People make and/or sell pet gifts and toys. Someone who runs a pet daycare. People who design, make, and/or sell pet clothes. Any of these could provide an interesting job for a character.
What about pets as a source of conflict?
Last year pet owners spent almost $70 billion on their pets, approximately a 70% increase over a ten-year period. Money spent on pets could be a source of conflict between characters, or a source of financial difficulty. The American Pet Products Association says dog owners shell out about $3,000 per year, depending on the breed. But owners say they spend $8,000, $10,000, or more on everything from pet health insurance to new furniture to travel. (Nearly 40% of dog owners take them on vacation.)
And what about other heirs of the 44% of dog owners who provide for their dogs in their wills?
More than half of dog owners let their dogs sleep in their beds. What if the spouse/partner/love interest doesn’t like that?
The Emotional Upside to Owning a Pet
Scientific studies have documented the positive effects of pets on mood. Your body produces oxytocin and endorphins, hormones that lift mood and strengthen the emotional bond between owner and pet. Oxytocin is the hormone that creates bonds between mother and child or between lovers. So how dependent is your character on animal love? And at what cost?
Other Bits that Might Come in Handy
My oldest daughter trained with her rescue dog to make therapy visits. Is that something your character might do? What about a character who is the recipient of such visits? Where might that lead?
My youngest daughter is surgical veterinary technician. During a recent visit, she gave us a tour of her workplace.
Most of us are vaguely aware that animal hospitals do things similar to human hospitals. But to actually see the oncology lab, the MRI equipment, the physical therapy suite, the surgical areas, the precautions for animals in isolation, the incubator for preemies, and the site of the future serenity garden brings home the parallel.
But one unusual bit: this hospital maintains blood banks for dogs and cats.
The dog blood bank is filled by donations from the pets of staff and clients. Star donors (like Bruce Lee, above, who is a universal donor) donate blood every six weeks or so. Each donation can be used to treat more than one patient.
The hospital maintains colonies of cat blood donors. The cats come from animal rescue. At the hospital they are treated, vaccinated, and spayed. Even so, there are separate colonies for males and females. The cats are maintained as donors for a year and then placed for adoption.
Cat donors must be 1 yr old and at least 10 lbs
Dogs must be 1 yr old, at least 50 lbs
Both: no blood born diseases, no condition requiring chronic medication except NSAIDS, hypothyroidism, or meds for flea/tick/heart worm
Bruce Lee (the dog donor pictured) is 6 yrs old, has been a donor for 18 mos., and donates more than 6 times per yr. He’s a universal donor, like Type O for humans.
What if your character has a pet that is or was a blood donor?
I would have adopted Olaf in a nanosecond but he isn’t yet available. He’s affectionate AND has one blue eye, one green one.
Bottom line: Consider the value of pets in your writing!
