CATEGORIES

State Breeder Laws Every Resident Fancier Should Know!

CFA State Breeder Law Series, Part 4 – U.S. States of Region 6: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota

The Ears of Scotland!

What You Don’t Know About... Scottish Folds

Virtual Cat Competitions Get Their Start in CFA

About two years ago, long before the pandemic made virtual competitions popular, CFA Marketing Director Desiree Bobby first began investigating software solutions that might enable CFA to effectively run such competitions. At the time, the goal was to use the shows to make pedigreed cats—and of course, CFA—more visible to an online audience, and in so doing, increase people’s interests in the cat fancy.

Click - Getting Great Shots of your Cat with a Smartphone

So you want to enter one of the many virtual competitions popping up around the internet but don’t have professional photos or video of your cat. Fear not! If you have a smartphone, you have a camera and can get what you need. Here are a few tips to help.

Choosing the Right Cat Tree

Whether you have your first cat or your tenth, keeping your cat healthy and your furniture undamaged means you will need to get a scratching post (or cat “tree”). These come in many shapes and sizes and they’re built using a variety of materials. Different construction techniques are also used, some being better than others. This gives you lots to choose from. So, choosing the right tree for your cat can take some thought.

Facing Those Final Days With the Special Care Your Pet Needs

Because most pet owners tend to outlive their pets, there comes a time in most pet-human relationships when time starts to run out for your beloved cat or dog.

Why We're Afraid of Bats

On how we know—and how we learn— what to fear

The Ultimate NOMADS

RANDOM MIGRATIONS ARE JUST ONE CROSSBILL QUIRK LEARN MORE FUN ODDITIES OF THESE WANDERING SPECIES.

MOTH TALES

Butterflies may get all the glory, but these reader photos prove that moths are just as beautiful.

Midnight Blooms

Dark petals add mystery all year, not just on Halloween.

Create a Fall Focal Point

Add a creative highlight to any outdoor area with these container garden ideas.

The Flying Checkerboard

Find out how to attract boldly patterned red-headed woodpeckers.

Ask the Experts

Pros offer solutions for hungry birds and identify mystery plants.

What is your favorite owl and why?

Readers share special memories and the species they think is most interesting.

At the Edge of Lake Erie

Try these three activities at Point Pelee National Park.

How Birds Get Named

Meet the committee in charge of naming and organizing birds.

THE FIRST AMERICAN “SPORT HORSE” BREED

The very name of the American Standardbred reflects the performance requirement established at the inception of the breed. Here’s how genetics, conformation and training came together to create horses that could trot a mile in 2:30 or less, or pace it in 2:00 flat.

THE 6 WAYS HORSES LEARN

You’ll be more successful in teaching your horse new skills or maneuvers if your lessons, timing and tasks are aligned with his natural modes of acquiring information.

WHEN EHV-1 TURNS DEADLY

There’s no sure-fire way of stopping an equine herpesvirus infection from developing into a potentially devastating neurological disease. But you can take steps to protect your horse.

PPID DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUE ADVANCES

Year-round diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, also known as Cushing’s) just got easier, thanks to the joint efforts of equine researchers in England and mathematicians in Australia.

THE POTENTIAL OF PROBIOTICS

Supplements formulated to replenish and fortify the diverse microbiome in the equine gut may help your horse stay healthy, but you’ll want to shop smart and know their limitations.

Sweet harmony

In addition to providing my solitary mare with companionship, my donkey has brought a new tranquility to my farm.

GOOD NEWS ABOUT RECOVERY FROM COLIC SURGERY

A new study from the Netherlands has found that the long-term prognosis for horses who survive colic surgery is good, but a full return to athletic function may be more difficult.

BUSTING MYTHS ABOUT GENDER AND COAT COLOR

“Chestnut mare, beware.” If you’ve ever used this phrase or nodded knowingly in agreement when you heard it, you’ve been perpetrating a scientifically inaccurate and potentially harmful stereotype, according to new research from the University of Sydney.

CONSULTANTS

Have a question about your horse’s health, care or training? Our experts offer solutions for a range of equine-management problems. Write to EQUUS Consultants, P.O. Box 7510, Falls Church, Virginia 22040; email: EQLetters@aimmedia.com. Send photos when helpful.

A BETTER WAY TO READ THE SIGNS OF LAMENESS

Equine lameness can be difficult to detect, but a study from England confirms the reliability of a relatively new tool for identifying subtle signs of musculoskeletal pain in horses.

Diarrhea: Is It Serious?

Learn how to tell the difference between loose manure and potentially deadly diarrhea—and how to protect your horse when the condition strikes.

Keeping It Simple

Don’t overcomplicate kids’ first lessons.

FALL RIDING AT FORT ROBINSON

RICH IN WESTERN HISTORY, FORT ROBINSON’S 20,000 ACRES IS FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL BUTTES AND ROLLING HILLS, MAKING IT THE PERFECT FALL DESTINATION.

Standing Together

This program uses horsemanship to provide hope and healing for combat veterans and first responders.