pets

Depression among household pets may be worse than originally believed.

We thought the issue was more isolated last month upon learning of the "Fauna Sauna"--its name doesn't exactly scream credibility--a device that uses radiant heat "to bring healing to your pet right in your home." But now it has competition in the "SunSpa," another product that claims to control mood swings by simulating sunlight "for a warm and soothing heaven for your pets," according to Luxurylaunches. We're not sure about that, but it does look considerably more comfy than … Read more

Stories about animals are a staple for the nightly news and frequently make their way to the front page of news sites such as Digg and CNN. Not to be left out, Purina, purveyors of food for dogs and cats has its own social news site devoted to all things domestic pet with Pet Charts, a self-proclaimed "definitive guide to the best pet stuff online." It features news stories, videos, and photos for dogs and cats.

Users can swap between either species or view both at once. Content is ranked numerically and can be voted on by clicking … Read more

Finally, an ant farm that even PETA wouldn't protest.

No ants were harmed in the making of the "Ants Life Studio" from Japan's Bandai for a good reason: They're not real. Instead it's a colony of virtual ants that presumably do all of the same slave labor and other functions of their living counterparts, allowing you to satisfy your entomological curiosities without risking any arthropodic karma in the afterlife.

The viewing takes place through an LCD that includes backlighting so it can be used as a night light too. As OhGizmo notes, it seems … Read more

Crave has visited the effects of sunlight on human behavior more than we care to remember, but it's all for a good cause. If a few colored lights can stave off violence in the workplace (namely ours), than we're all for it. One thing we'd never anticipated, however, is a product that can have similar results on non-human beings.

The "Fauna Sauna" (we're not making this up) uses solar-like radiant heat, sans ultra-violet rays, "to bring healing to your pet right in your home," according to InventorSpot. It's even available in … Read more

Upon learning what an outfit called VIP Fibers does, we weren't sure whether to laugh, cry, or get totally grossed out.

The Texas-based service will make cases for cell phones, MP3 players, and just about anything else out of--get this--your pet's fur. All you need to do is send off those hairballs you've been saving up, and VIP Fibers will knit them into a "lovely pouch," according to GeekSugar. We have nothing against pets, of course, but still find this disturbing on a number of levels.

Even though it involves living beings (we hope), this … Read more

Every time I stop by my local Petsmart store to buy kibble, I can't help but notice the explosion in the sheer number and variety of dog outfits on display. This trend really reached the tipping point for me when I saw that they had a sale on winter fashions that were about to go out of season and they needed to make room for the spring collection! If you go to the Petsmart website, they have the several departments for dog clothes including dresses, holiday apparel, pajamas, sweaters & coats, t-shirts, and costumes including a Princess Leia outfit that epitomizes the height of anthropomorphic madness. This pet fashion craze clearly isn't just about protecting Fluffy against frigid weather.

Then the trend truly jumped the shark in my mind when I saw that there were decorative harnesses and outfits for ferrets as well. "Great for Special Occasions" says the Marshall Pet Fashions tag that shows ferrets sporting a leather jacket, tie-dyed shirt, or Santa outfit. Interesting to wonder what constitutes a special occasion for a ferret.

Of course the ads are really speaking to the pet owners. This trend feels like a convergence of several social forces: kids as status symbols, pets as family members, pets as an expression of individuality, fashionistas carrying little dogs in handbags, and our general American preoccupation with buying stuff.… Read more

This may be the fluffiest, freakiest thing since Alba, the green fluorescent bunny from artist Eduardo Kac.

South Korean scientists tinkering with fluorescence protein genes say they have bred white Turkish Angora cats to glow red under ultraviolet light.

The pair of cats cloned from a mother's altered skin cell are nearly a year old. The researchers told the AFP that their work could help unravel mysteries of some 250 genetic diseases suffered by both humans and cats. The findings also could be used to clone endangered tigers, leopards, and other animals, the report said.

However, it's unlikely … Read more

Now here's a cleaning device that will make a true germaphobe either squeal with delight or cringe with fear--or both. And it's not something you'll find in a Roomba or Scooba either.

Dirt Devil's "Purpose for Pets Portable Extractor" may have an unusually prosaic name, but it's probably preferable to a more graphic description of its mission: to locate carpet stains that are invisible or at least difficult to see. The system uses built-in LEDs to illuminate the offending spots so they can be detected "like you're wearing infrared goggles," … Read more

Depending on where you live, lost kids (and adults) aren't the only ones who could use the occasional aid of an identification device. In San Francisco, for example, it's been widely reported that dogs outnumber children.

And with about 10 million pets expected to get lost each year, technologies like "KoogaPet" will become an increasingly common sight. Though far from the only digital dog tag on the market, the KoogaPet is much smaller than others and holds more data.

The $30 dime-sized tag, which is waterproof and comes in various colors, can store information transferred from … Read more