Latest news with #Puddles
Newsweek
16 hours ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Woman Adopts Rescue Cat, Gets Home and Realizes Something 'Wasn't Normal'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After her pet passed, Wren couldn't stand being in an empty house, which is why she quickly went to the shelter to adopt another cat—but as soon as she got home with her new feline, she knew something "wasn't normal." Wren, who runs the Instagram account @puddlesforbrains, shared in a June 12 video that her new cat, Puddles, started showing unique behaviors soon after finding her new home in April 2024. From not caring about the vacuum noise to being unable to track a toy, Wren ran through a list of possibilities: Is Puddles deaf or blind? Visits to the vet didn't provide immediate answers. The cat's "no-fear instinct" toward loud noises convinced not one, but two veterinarians that she was deaf, Wren told Newsweek via email. "She is really bad at tracking things with her eyes," Wren said. "It's almost like she has tunnel vision and doesn't use her peripheral vision." However, it turned out Puddles has excellent vision. What Wren learned was that Puddles had a learning disability. "The vet did confirm that she has a learning disability," she said. "They believe she has some cognitive dysfunction that presents as a learning disability." Screenshots from a June 12 Instagram video of an owner discovering her cat has a learning disability. Screenshots from a June 12 Instagram video of an owner discovering her cat has a learning disability. @puddlesforbrains/Instagram All breeds of cats can experience cognitive dysfunction, also known as kitty dementia, a vet-reviewed article from Catster reported. This disorder usually affects cats 10 years or older, and is characterized by a decline in cognitive abilities such as memory, learning and spatial awareness. The team believes that Puddles' cognitive dysfunction was caused by a mix of brain damage, due to an accident that broke her leg, and malnutrition as a kitten, Wren said. But it is impossible to know for certain, as Puddles was a stray kitty for the first six months of her life. Wren couldn't imagine a life without Puddles now, quirks and all. She explained that Puddles does not turn her head left or right and rarely looks behind. Instead, she'll tilt her head backward and look at you upside down. Her walking routes aren't always the smartest. She'll take the slow way, feeling along the walls of the house. And if she wants to turn, she stands up against the wall and uses it to help. Plus, she's a bit clumsy. She never stops meowing or wanting to cuddle. "Adopting her is the single best thing to ever happen to me, and I don't think anything will ever beat that," Wren said. "She is the love of my life and my soulmate." Instagram users quickly became obsessed with Puddles, bringing the video to over 2.3 million views and 305,000 likes as of Friday. "She is 'no thoughts, just vibes' personified and she's absolutely perfect," commented a viewer. Another person added: "It's so amazing that she has a home where she's perfectly happy and lives a wonderful life even with her silliness! Y'all are doing a great thing for her." A third user wrote: "It honestly didn't cross my mind that a cat could have a learning disability for some reason. Or maybe I never thought of what this would look like. She's such a sweetheart." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Police dog comes out of retirement to fight dangerous menace: 'Alarming reminder of the imminent threat we face'
A dog named Puddles is sniffing out invasive mussels that are disrupting local ecosystems in Washington. As KIRO 7 News reported, Puddles is working with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to detect and remove mussels tagging along on watercraft. Puddles was a police dog before retiring and has come out of retirement to help with the local mussel problem. Invasive quagga and zebra mussels are problematic because they filter out algae that native species need for food. This disruption drastically alters aquatic food chains by depleting natural resources essential for native species' survival. Invasive mussels also cause economic damage by clogging water pipes and damaging infrastructure. Mussels play a significant role in the financial burden of resource damage and management in rivers, lakes, and oceans worldwide. Meanwhile, conservation agencies are working in Colorado, Wisconsin, California, and many other places to control invasive mussel species. Puddles and her handler, retired police sergeant Pam Taylor, are working at Lake Roosevelt in Northeast Washington to find invasive mussels. They are working with Mussel Dogs, a mussel-sniffing training company, to lead new dog recruits and their owners. The local fish and wildlife department enlists the help of another mussel-sniffing dog named Fin. The Lake Roosevelt National Park Service funds the dogs' watercraft launch work through a grant. The department is looking for an additional mussel-sniffing dog to add to its team because the volume of mussels impacting the area is so extensive. Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely It depends on the species I don't know No — leave nature alone Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. In early January, the department removed the largest volume of invasive quagga and zebra mussels from a single vessel in history — 21 gallons. According to the Washington Invasive Species Council, "This is an alarming reminder of the imminent threat we face; if these mussels establish in WA, mitigation alone will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. You can help out by always cleaning, draining, and drying your boat, gear, and clothing after recreating in, on, or near water." Local residents and anyone interested can keep up with the dogs' mussel detection work by following the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife's Facebook page. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
