YOUR PETS' SECRET LIVES

A guide to the secret meanings behind some of our pets’ most curious behaviors.

Ever wonder about your dog’s butt-sniffing or poop-eating habits? Or why your cat blinks slowly at you and you feel the urge to slowly blink right back at her? Did you ever imagine that your tarantula, safely tucked in its terrarium, might really be anxious and afraid? Did you know that a male parakeet’s future depends on its ability to learn its prospective mate’s specific song? These questions (and many more) are answered in this detailed account of the fascinating biology and weird behavior of our non-human family members. In six sections broken down into brief, digestible chapters, Rice explains how dogs, cats, birds, fish, various small cage-dwelling mammals, and terrarium pets (including reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods) experience the world in different ways. Memorable facts combined with delightful, full-color spot art will sustain readers’ interest. Four insightful interviews with a diverse group of researchers and experts interspersed throughout the text describe surprising breakthroughs and insights and different personal paths to careers in science. The author mixes humor with scientific data, delivering an entertaining and informative guide that will pique readers’ interest in learning more about the animals we share our homes with.

An engaging, fact-filled book that offers both laugh-out-loud and aha moments.