Hi! I’ve read a lot about pets and flooding, but not so much on earthquakes. I have two cocker spaniels and a cat who hides when she’s scared. I’m worried that if there’s an earthquake, I won’t have time to find them in order to protect them. And when I do find them, what’s the best way to protect them? Thanks!
—Thea N.

You are right, there is less notice for an earthquake than other types of disasters. But again, it all comes down to proper planning. Work to develop a plan—if you know where the animals hide, is that a safe area of the house? Or could you set up a nice hiding space where you want them to be? Can you do training with the dogs (and maybe even the cat) so they come when called, regardless? Those things may help to save their lives.

How can I make sure my cat is safe during an earthquake? Thanks!
—M-A

Typically, a cat’s natural inclination is to hide under things when she’s scared. In the event of an earthquake (and also flooding), this can prove to be fatal. It’s a good idea to avoid storing lots of stuff under beds and dressers—when items shift during an earthquake or flood, your hiding cat could become trapped. If you must store things this way, please arrange them in a way that creates multiple exit points. This will increase your cat’s ability to escape from that hiding spot should one route become blocked.

I’m pretty sure my dogs will do the same things before and after the rapture.

One will be napping and the other will be trying to sneak off to chew one of my shoes.

I’m not sure how the rapture would go down, but I imagine rivers of lava dotted with drifting boulders. My old dog would be asleep on his dog bed on one of those boulders. The young dog would leapfrog away with one of my flip-flops in her mouth.

I guess that’s what they’ll be doing Saturday morning.

The world’s ending Friday, you know. True story.

• City zoo to play host for gorilla conference. (Oklahoma City)
• Pet tales: Everybody loves Sammy. (Yukon)
• Bill updates: Pet fund. (state capitol)
• Shark tales always come with teeth. (Jenks)
• Cuts urged on season, bag limit. (southeast Oklahoma)
• Wolf law could change. (Montana)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

The good news is, Mona found a home, as did two other pups at her shelter, when folks began lining up the next day to adopt her.

- Staff Writer Bryan Dean

• Humans, animals don’t mix. (state capitol)
• Customers are going wild over cats bred in Oklahoma. (Ponca City, video below)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Pet Tales: Silly Snuggle. (Edmond)
• Owners should help dogs weather storm. (statewide)
• Plan bans human-animal hybrid. (state capitol)
• Senate adds requirements to bill on equine dentistry. (state capitol)
• Dog squeaks by with old habits. (nationwide)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

Ruben Gaviria rescued an injured red squirrel at a local park near his home near Medillin, Columbia. Luckily, when he took the critter home to recover, his cat took to it. Tita the cat even feeds the little guy her milk.

Tita’s kitten also plays with the squirrel.

These pictures are undeniably cute, but I wonder how long before natural instincts take over and this ends badly.

- Staff Writer Bryan Dean

• Eagle enclosure collapses at animal nonprofit. (Noble)
• Committee OKs horse dental bill. (state Capitol)
• Zoo gears training toward volunteers. (Oklahoma City)
• Pet Tales: Dachshund enjoys penthouse. (Edmond)
• Cats proving agile in contests. (nationwide)
• Animals aboard space rocket. (Iran)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

I’m not sure how much of this story I trust, and not just because of how ridiculous it sounds. The story identifies the nicotine-addicted snake as Po the pit viper, but the snake in the picture is obviously not a pit viper, which is a venomous subset of snake you would want nowhere near you.

The commenters on the story say it is a Taiwanese beauty snake, and a quick search on Google seems to indicate that is correct.

Either way, this is just wrong.

- Staff Writer Bryan Dean