Companion species, like dogs and cats, have been a part of human history for thousands of years. The first domesticated dog was over thirty thousand years ago, and the first cat over ten thousand years ago. So, much of what we call human civilization has always been a multispecies endeavor. In recent years, however, cats and dogs have seemed to have taken on increased significance, both in terms of what they offer us and in our dedication to them. With respect to the former, the term “emotional support animal” has gone from being a specialized term for service animals to a general understanding of an animal’s role in our life. With respect to the latter, many millennials and later generations have responded to the foreclosed possibility of having human offspring by focusing on their “fur babies.” We spend more money on our animals, with doggie daycares and excursions, and we also spend more time with animals, going to cat cafes.

What does the significance of dogs and cats tell us about ourselves, the world we live in, and about our connection to non-human animals?

In this episode, we discuss the following thinkers/ideas/texts/etc.:

• Joanne McNeil, Wrong Way: A Novel
• Inside Out  (Pixar film, 2015) 
• Hedgehogs as pets
• Is the Alpha Wolf Idea a Myth? (Scientific American, 2023)
• To Reward or Punish: How the Culture Wars Came for Dogs (New York Times, 2024)
• The rate of suicide among veterinary professionals