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Pets, Wildlife and Barnyard Inhabitants

The health, safety and care of the animals that share your world

Information on caring for cats and dogs, deterring deer in the yard and garden, attracting wild birds, caring for your horse, increasing the life span of your rabbit and raising chickens.

Cats can be masters at disguising illness. Learn to recognize illness in its initial stages. A cat communicates both vocally and with its tail. Find out what a swishing tail means in the Cat Tails article.

Many dogs suffer from allergies often brought on by the ingredients in their food. Learn why bloat in dogs should be considered a true emergency. A guide to what plants, foods, and household items can be toxic to your pet.

Ways to deer proof your yard and garden using an integrated approach. Learn which plants are more deer resistant and some tips on attracting them away from your prized petunias.

The wild bird section has tips on feeding and attracting blue birds and hummingbirds. Build a blue bird house and learn how to start your own bluebird trail. Attracting hummingbirds is easy. A clean feeder and fresh nectar will keep them humming around your yard.

First aid for horses and equine health. Get basic information on how to care for your new foal. The Body Condition Score chart shows you whether your horse is thin, fit or fat.

Explore the differences between the more popular poultry breeds and learn which chickens are better suited as layers than fryers. Caring for chicks isn't difficult if you follow some essential guidelines.

Your rabbit can live a longer life given good basic care. It doesn't require a lot of room to raise a rabbit, but they do have specific feeding requirements and are sensitive to temperature fluctuations.

Help stop the spread of invasive weeds. Guides to identify weeds and methods of controling noxious weeds.

Calculate how much fence you will need to surround a given area using handy reference guides.

Enjoy the deer and save your posies. Deer don't care for ferns.

Bloat in dogs should be considered an emergency.

The opening on a blue bird house should be 1 1/2".

20 acres requires 1/4 mile of fence to enclose.

A cat's tail swishing violently from side to side can indicate that an attack is about to occur.

There are several areas on the head of a horse where pressure is exerted by the bridle, asking the horse for a response.

Hens quit laying when the hours of sunlight decreases.

The gestation period for a rabbit is 30-32 days.

One study estimates the total cost of invasive weeds in the U.S. to exceed $100 billion each year.

A hummingbird can fly backwards or upside down if they have to.