For questions about the biology of a pet - its physical attributes.
Questions tagged [biology]
92 questions
45
votes
4 answers
Does purring tire cats?
Hope it doesn't sound like a silly question.
Context: My cat is not the most affectionate cat in the world. But sometimes she comes to search for love and to play. When I pet her, obviously, she likes it and starts purring. She is the loudest cat…
raulmd13
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20
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1 answer
Why does my cat hold its mouth slightly open sometimes after smelling something?
On occasion, my cat will sit there with its mouth open, usually after smelling something new.
It looks similar to panting, but without the heavy breathing or a protruding tongue.
What is the reason for this? Is it a reaction to particular smells? …
Beofett
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18
votes
1 answer
Does picking up an adult cat by neck cause them to be paralyzed like kittens?
When kittens are picked up by the neck by their mothers the kittens become temporarily paralyzed.
Is this also true for adult cats if a human was to pick them up the same way?
Bear Bile Farming is Torture
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15
votes
4 answers
Why do groomers tell you not to shear a long-haired dog in warm weather?
Specifically, I have a Great Pyrenees. I've had groomers tell me that a dog's fur keeps them cool in hot weather as well as keeping them warm in cold. This argument holds as long as the environment is considerably warmer than the surface temperature…
Sniggerfardimungus
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14
votes
1 answer
How do I determine the age of my turtle?
I recently adopted a yellow-bellied slider, and the people who had her said that they had been keeping her for about 10 years, when they adopted her from a rescue house. I don't know how old she was when they adopted her, and I don't hold any hope…
Coronus
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11
votes
2 answers
Diurnal, crepuscular, nocturnal, matutinal, vespertine; what do these mean and how do they impact my pet's life?
A recent answer listed all of these and said the group a pet falls in could impact how they behave: diurnal, crepuscular, nocturnal, matutinal, vespertine.
What do all of these mean and how do they impact my pets life and behavior?
James Jenkins
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10
votes
2 answers
Do cats recognize their family? Perhaps by scent?
Is there any scientific or anecdotal evidence that cats recognize other cats who closely share their DNA? As in, new kittens from the same mother and the such?
I'm suspecting that there might be such a thing, and what follows is my reasoning for…
surfmadpig
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10
votes
1 answer
Is whisker layout in a dog a constant?
Is the layout of whiskers in a dog constant over time, or do whiskers fall out and regrow in different spots? This is a lost dog situation, and there is a foundling that looks very similar but whisker layout seems different. Unfortunately the newest…
Szczepan Hołyszewski
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10
votes
2 answers
Light spectrum visible to hamsters
I'd like to build an infrared tachometer for my hamster's wheel, but I don't want to distract him with a light source. Therefore I want to choose the wavelength of the LED for my hamster not to see it. Being a nocturnal animal, I suspect him of…
bot47
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8
votes
1 answer
Does a pet boa/python measure the owner by lying straight?
I read it somewhere, maybe as a Facebook photo of some Tumblr or yahoo a long time back (hence not a reliable source) that the user found it's pet snake (which was not eating food for quite some time) lying completely flat next to it on the bed one…
rukuto
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8
votes
1 answer
How frequently do cats lose their whiskers?
Does anyone know how frequently cats lose their whiskers? Is it natural shedding, like their hair, or is it much less frequent?
I ask because I have two cats and am randomly find a whisker here and there for the one cat. I never find any from the…
Katie Hurley
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7
votes
1 answer
Why do cats often screech when mating?
My friend has two pet cats. I saw them mating. After mating, when the male jumped off her back, the female cat screeched. This is not to be mistaken with cats fighting, he didn't bite her or anything.
Why does this happen?
user6796
7
votes
1 answer
Can big cats retract their claws?
Some people do have exotic pets like tigers. I was watching a video where a man got his tigers to lean on his shoulders standing up. It got me thinking, would he get scratched?
I couldn't see their claws. Do big cats have retractable claws?
user6796
7
votes
1 answer
Do cats benefit from human probiotics?
My cat is going through a 4-week antibiotics prescription, and due to it he’s having a bad diarrhea.
I have a probiotic supplement containing:
Bifidobacterium bifidum
Bifidobacterium longum
Bifidobacterium lactis
Bifidobacterium breve
Lactobacillus…
John Doe
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7
votes
1 answer
Hens and no rooster: what happens to hens and their unfertilized eggs?
I looked for the answer, but didn't manage to get clear information.
If I have a bunch of hens, but no rooster, hens will lay unfertilized eggs (as far as I know).
From what I read, hens will brood them anyway, but then what?
How long?
Will they…
user16497
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