On this week’s podcast, we discussed the story of the abandoned kittens in Donegal. Basically this is an issue that comes up every year in the Springtime – people don’t have their pets spayed, and as a result, they are left with dozens of unwanted kittens on their doorstep. Sometimes they are able to find homes for them, but often, there are just too many. Rescue centres are often overflowing and people are then left not knowing what to do with the kittens.
It isn’t easy to find a good answer, but one thing is for sure: they deserve to be looked after. Dumping them onto someone else (like the local butcher) is just passing on the problem to someone else.
A snakey problem
On East Coast, I always take listeners’ queries as they come in: this week, there was an interesting one about a snake that had not eaten for ages. People always hope for a quick fix, but in this case, the only answer is to have the snake checked by a vet. Mouth rot is one example of a common problem that can stop snakes from eating, and this needs to be diagnosed and treated by a vet.
How do animals sleep?
I also talked about the mystery of how animals sleep compared to humans. The aspect which is particularly fascinating is the way that dolphins sleep, with one half of the brain snoozing at a time. This means they are always partly awake, which allows them to continually resurface to take breaths of air. My father is a retired psychologist, and sleep was his specialist subject, so I’ve been brought up with a deep curiosity about this remarkable part of all of our lives.
Please note that I am unable to answer veterinary questions in comments. If you have questions or concerns about your pet's health it is always better to contact your vet.