The nose knows
Beagles are known for their merry temperament and powerful scenting ability. They'll follow their nose anywhere. Their noses are so finely tuned that they can detect even faint or diluted odors, many of which are beyond the measuring capacity of high-tech equipment. That's why beagles are the breed of choice as airport detection dogs seeking contraband items in luggage.
Cats make mental maps
Cats use their keen hearing and the ability to create a mental map of their surroundings to keep tabs on the location of their people, according to a team of researchers in Japan. In a recent paper published in PLOS One, researchers report that cats appear to be able to track owners' movements — even when they can't see them. In a series of experiments, they placed cats in enclosures fitted with speakers, then piped in sounds: the owners' voices calling them by name; strangers' voices calling their name; and random noise. Next they played the sounds in pairs. The first went to the speaker inside the enclosure; the second through the speaker outside the enclosure. Cats seemed most surprised when owners suddenly seemed to be in a new place, suggesting that they were keeping track of where the human was supposed to be.
Furball fun facts
Hamsters use their whiskers to explore their environment. Their teeth grow continuously. They are nocturnal, with eyes that function well in low light. And they usually live for up to two years.
