Blog Posts by Sarah D. Bunting

Yesterday, we brought you the Fat Cats of Occupy Wall Street; today, it's Matt Stopera's slideshow of the protest dogs of New York's downtown. (Buzzfeed)

You may not care to mix pooches and politics, in which case you can pose your pup next to a pumpkin instead. (Watch out for out-of-control alliteration, though.) (PetSugar)

Or make this adorbs spider costume. If you put it on a white dog, presto! Instant black-widow action. (Martha Stewart)

Cats want you to get up early -- but only if it's earlier than you want to get up. If you get up earlier than they get up, they don't want your stupid food thank you and goodbye. Simon Tofield finds this baffling also. (Simon's Cat)

Almost time to move your plants inside for the winter -- but which ones will make your pets sick? Here's a list of non-toxic plants, but note that these plants have not been reported as having deleterious effects; you should still hang 'em high just to be on the safe side. Not sure what your pet ate, or whether it's

Read More »from Tangled webs: Morning Zoo October 20 2011

I love my cats, but sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on the fun activities dog owners get to enjoy – like Halloween costumes. Sure, cat owners can try to stuff their cats into clothing, but it's probably not going to go very well, and while exceptions do exist (my childhood best friend's portly Siamese, Thai, let us put him in a christening gown and swim goggles – more than once) (don't ask), the average feline will disappear under the nearest piece of heavy furniture at the mere mention of a hat or sweater.

So on the one hand, I admire the determination of the cat-costumers linked below. On the other hand, I have to wonder what happened right after the photos got snapped…and thank God that it isn't happening to me.

Without further ado, a dozen dressed-up cats who probably made their humans pay dearly…

 

1. The pumpkin dunce cap. Because if there's anything a cat loves, it's having its ears squashed against its head while wearing an itchy bonnet.
2. The Daniel Boone. The outfit itself

Read More »from 12 Angry Cats

The Morning Zoo is pleased to inform you that it is totally possible for you to adopt a whale, even if you live in a studio apartment! Pick yourself out a nice big one, give it a name, and enjoy! (The Oceanic Society)

Has your dog started to look like a whale? We missed National Pet Obesity Awareness Day last week -- but you can still pick up tips on keeping your pup trim. (BlogHer's Pet Corner)

The figurative becomes literal with a new Tumblr called Fat Cats on Wall Street. We think it's pretty funny, but Cornel West is not having it.

Today's adoptable pet is a teenage gerbil named Mr. Belvedere. He's neither British nor terribly handy around the house...but he's pretty cute, and if you live in the Virginia Beach area, he could make a great pet for you. (Petfinder)

Check out these safe Halloween treats for cats and for dogs...but you may end up stealing the pumpkin treats. (ASPCA)

The "Beak-to-Beak Wars" game is a great way to pass the time, while also doubting your eyesight (is that mynah

Read More »from Occupy Furball Street: Morning Zoo October 19 2011

The Morning Zoo's Rabbit Hypno-Ray compels you!

How to communicate effectively with your DVM over email (and when you should just pick up the phone instead). (The Bark)

Today's adoptable pet du jour is a Brittany named Snuggles, and her profile picture is cracking me up. "Hi. Hi. Hello. Hi. Snacks? What's up. Hi." (Adopt A Pet)

Beatrice, NE welcomes you! Your pot-bellied pigs, not so much. Alexis Winder gets to keep hers, but they can't stray within 50 feet of the property line. (The Beatrice Daily Sun)

Kiss today's productivity at work goodbye, rabbit fans (and fans of pets named after nineteenth-century engineers). His name is Roebling, and he's got a bunny-cam. (Brooklyn Bunny)

Dress your baby in a French-bulldog costume for Halloween; it's the best of both worlds! (Buzzfeed)

5 ways to avoid overindulging your pet (by which they must mean "your dog," because to put a cat on a diet, it is to laugh) (mirthlessly, despairingly) (oh God please stop meowing). (PetSugar)

Follow the Columbus Dog

Read More »from Bunny cams and doggie diets: Morning Zoo October 18 2011

You love your cat; your cat loves your sweater. Not the cardi you got on clearance at Target, oh no – he's pitching linty woo at the cashmere you saved up for six paychecks to buy. Now you've got a big honkin' snag right at the collarbone, and five minutes to fix it before you leave for work. What's next?

First, carefully separate feline from treasured woolen item. This step might seem too obvious even to mention, but we know all too well the temptation to scream and spray water when a cat companion is "making biscuits" on a pricey pullover. Take a second; breathe; resist the urge to yell and wave your arms, which could cause even more snaggage (not to mention anxiety shedding) by startling Fluffy. A cat treat or a sprinkle of catnip can lure the cat gently away from the mohair.

Next, hide the damage with Real Simple's two-step solution; we like it because it's cinchy and fast. Watch the video, or just follow the written instructions for pushing the snag back through the

Read More »from Scratch That: Unsnag a sweater in 2 minutes flat

Welcome back to the Morning Zoo, where you never know when you'll have to invoke the "force meow-jeure" clause in your car-insurance contract...for extracting a stray cat from behind your dashboard. AP captured the rescue op, and the happy ending, over the weekend. (Yahoo! News)

Another one for the "curiosity killed the cat, or tried to" file -- pumpkin 1, black kitten 0. (Cute Overload)

Adopting a dog can mean adopting a name you'd never have picked out yourself, but you can change it using behavioral tricks. (The Bark)

Many many fluffy kittens meowing crazily. Are they hungry? Or do they just want that black-sock-clad man to put on some pants? (Animal Planet's Daily Treat)

Emmi the German Shepherd's journey is a cautionary tale -- but you can learn a lot about Schutzhund training in the comments. (Gothamist)

"Tarantulas are notorious escape artists." Well, isn't that comforting. ...Oh, wait: no, it really isn't. (Tarantula Guide)

A new bill will team shelter dogs with returning veterans as

Read More »from Dog Tags: Morning Zoo October 17 2011

Welcome to the Morning Zoo: the latest, greatest pet news and pics at your fingertips...literally! Let's kick things off with a photo array of extremely tiny toads that fit on your knuckle. (bunnyfrogs's Tiny Toads Flickr gallery)

In case you missed it, Simon's Cat got a kitten in "Double Trouble." (Simon's Cat)

For some reason, it's hilarious to me when pets have human names like "Steve" or "Keith." Today's adoptable pet du jour is a hermit crab named Jim from Quilcene, WA. And he's a reeeeeal shell-raiser. (Petfinder)

Booking your flights for the holidays? Make sure your pet isn't banned for breathing problems; if she is, you might have to spring for a separate seat. (Gothamist)

Find out how much you know about animal skeletons with PetSugar's Halloween quiz. (PetSugar)

Win a Chill pad from P.L.A.Y. (Modern Dog magazine)

Forget whatcha heard: the TV makes an excellent babysitter! ...Well, for chinchillas, anyway. (ChinCare)

Vent about your pet's most irritating antics, or just vote on other

Read More »from According to Jim: Morning Zoo October 14 2011

Morning Zoo: it's the regular links round-up on Shine Pets. Let's get to it!

Many's the time we've said we could make another whole cat out of the fur we brush off our pantlegs. Well, now a book from Japan lets us do just that – cat-hair crafts from felted cat fur, complete with patterns and pet-owner tips. (Neatorama)

Put that drink holder to cuter use with puppies the size of soda cans. (Buzzfeed)

A new (and green) way to fight litter-box odors: mix tea leaves into the litter to fight bacteria and bad smells. (Lifehacker)

Buckle up, Nebraska: the gerbil show is coming to Omaha this very weekend. (American Gerbil Society)

One cute to rule them all: the epic showdown of Puppies vs. Babies. (Animal Discovery)

Get the lowdown on fostering a cat (warning: if "the foster cat" is very tiny and good at hiding, she may become simply "the cat"). (Cat Channel)

Gorilla Glue is super-handy...but dogs think it's super-yummy. How to keep your canine from eating it, and what to do if an unauthorized glue

Read More »from Morning Zoo October 13 2011