1 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to Creature Future production of iHeartRadio. I'm your host 2 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: of Many Parasites, Katie Golden. I studied psychology and evolutionary biology, 3 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: and today on the show, it's a listener Questions episode. 4 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: I answer all of your evolutionary biology, animal, pet, bird, 5 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: and space and time questions, and I answer emails that 6 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: are sent to Creature Feature Product gmail dot com. By 7 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: the way, if you have a question you would like 8 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: me to answer, so let's get right into these emails 9 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 1: of amazing questions about animals. So this email is called 10 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: bird clocks Questions. Hi, Katie, I wanted to ask about 11 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: bird's ability to tell time. A couple of years ago, 12 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: I had a job that had be on the same 13 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: bench every day, and I began to put out peanuts 14 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: every half hour so the pigeons would come and enact 15 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,319 Speaker 1: their complex dramatic in her personal lives in front of 16 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: me for free entertainment. Wise choice highly suggest doing this. 17 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: After a series of events that I won't get into 18 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: for fear of this email being too long, one of 19 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: the pigeons was shunned from the friend group and started 20 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:21,759 Speaker 1: showing up to my bench a little before the half 21 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: hour mark to try and get some peanuts before anyone 22 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: else showed up. He was coming before any of the 23 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: clock towers rang, which was the indication I was using 24 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: for the half hour mark. Is it more likely that 25 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: there was some other half hourly indication of time this 26 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: pigeon was using, or that this pigeon was simply better 27 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: at telling time than I was. Thanks, Miriam, Hi, Miriam. 28 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: So this is a great question. Can birds tell time? 29 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: And if so, how where do they wear their little wristwatch? 30 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: Do they even have risks? All right, first let's start 31 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: with let's focus on pigeons, because that is the bird 32 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: you're asking a out. So pigeons seem like relatively simple birds, 33 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: maybe not the smartest birds out there. Right. They like 34 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: our garbage, they like handouts, and they like our cities. 35 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: They don't have the sophisticated problem solving intelligent of crows 36 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: or the social intelligence of parrots. So it might be 37 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: surprising to find that pigeons are relatively complex in their 38 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: ability to reason, particularly temporal and spatial reasoning. So there 39 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: have been studies on pigeons, fortunately in regards to their 40 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: ability to navigate time and space. So a University of 41 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: Iowa study called quote non cortical magnitude. Coding of space 42 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:49,519 Speaker 1: and time by pigeons looked into how pigeons processed spatial 43 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: and temporal information. So in humans and in other mammals, 44 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: time and space are mainly processed in the parietal cortex, 45 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: an area of the brain sort of towards the back 46 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 1: of your head. You know, if you've ever worn a bun, 47 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: if you've ever done ballet or just worn a bun, 48 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: it's kind of under that area. So the problem is 49 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: pigeons don't have a parietal cortex, and that leads to 50 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: a question can they understand time and space? So pigeons 51 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: were allowed to play a sort of pigeony computer game 52 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: in this study, so they were shown short or long lines, 53 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 1: like it just a line on a computer screen, and 54 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: the length differed both in geometric length like a short 55 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: line versus a long line, and the time that the 56 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: line was shown on screen, so a line that was 57 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: displayed on the screen for a longer period of time 58 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: versus a shorter period of time. So after the line 59 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: was shown, the pigeons were presented with two buttons symbolizing 60 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: short or long, so they were kind of trained. One 61 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: of the buttons represented short, and one of the buttons 62 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: represented long, and they were awarded when they got it right, 63 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: and then they were given a novel set of questions 64 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: for the study. So essentially they had to press the 65 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,799 Speaker 1: right answer either short in length or short in time 66 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: length for these lines, and they were rewarded with a 67 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: little treeo if they got things right, So they were 68 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 1: highly motivated pigeons. The researchers found a few things. First, 69 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: that pigeons can indeed make a pretty good judgment about 70 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: geometric length and of time length. Secondly, like humans and primates, 71 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,280 Speaker 1: they get messed up when you say, have a long 72 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 1: line shown on screen for a short amount of time, 73 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 1: and then you ask them to give an answer about 74 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 1: how long is this in geometric length and how long 75 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 1: is this in temporal length. So mismatching like a long 76 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: a physically long line short period of time, or short 77 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: line for a long period of time kind of messes 78 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: them up. But that's not because they're necessarily stupid. It 79 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: also messes up us up and other mammals up. So pigeons, 80 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: like humans and primates and mammals, may process geometric space 81 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 1: and time space similarly, maybe using similar structures in the brain. 82 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 1: So this does show pigeons can judge duration, and they 83 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 1: can also judge geometric length. But how does it know 84 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: what time to go and say, seek out your peanut 85 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: offerings cleverly ahead of the other pigeons with whom I 86 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: guess this pigeon had a dramatic falling out with the 87 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: pigeon group. I'd love to be in on this pigeon 88 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:54,679 Speaker 1: group chat. But regardless, pigeons can seem to tell time 89 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 1: throughout the day, and they likely ascertain time with both 90 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: an internal clock and external visual cues from the positioning 91 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: of the sun. So fortunately, there was an actual study 92 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: done in two thousand and six investigating your specific pigeon problem. 93 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: There's a study called representing the Richness of Avian spatial 94 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: cognition properties of lateralized homing Pigeon Hippocampus. It's a long 95 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: study name, but they were looking at pigeon brains how 96 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:30,919 Speaker 1: they cope with spatial temporal recognition. So the pigeons were 97 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: familiarized with an outdoor arena or an indoor lab arena, 98 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 1: and the indoor lab had an artificial sun, so the 99 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: researchers would lay out seed only at certain times of day, 100 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: and the birds were able to learn when and where 101 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:51,239 Speaker 1: the food was, so when experimenters messed with the bird's 102 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 1: circadian rhythm, like by having their day night cycles messed up, 103 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: the birds kept making spatial airs when it came to 104 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: finding the food, and when the researchers made a lesion 105 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: in the bird's hippocampus, they were never they were no 106 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: longer able to use the position of the sun to 107 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: find the food. So most likely what Miriam's pigeon is 108 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: doing to get to these peanuts before the rest of 109 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: the crowd is that they this pigeon is using its 110 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: own internal circadian rhythm modulated by hormones, as well as 111 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: external cues such as the position of the sun to 112 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: find your peanuts and time and space to be at 113 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 1: the correct exact location temporally and spatially so that it 114 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: will receive a peanut. Because this is what pigeons are 115 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: capable of once you motivate them. I'd be really curious 116 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: to hear if your pigeon runs a little earlier late, 117 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: depending on the weather, say it's like really overcast all day, 118 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: maybe it doesn't have the sun to guide it as much. 119 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: I wonder if that would cause little mistakes. It still 120 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: has that internal circadian rhythm, so it could probably still 121 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: make a reasonable guess as to what time it is, 122 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: but maybe it's precision would be off a little bit. 123 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: Curious to hear about that, but yeah, thank you so much, 124 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: Miriam for your email for being a friend to this outcast, 125 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: highly intelligent pigeon. Okay, so this email is called yard maintenance? 126 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: Is a bug loving hippie? Hi? I live alone for 127 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: the first time in the middle of nowhere in the country. Repeatedly, 128 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: me and my parents have butt heads on my lack 129 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: of yard management, i e. Grass cutting, etc. From a 130 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: biology standpoint, how do I balance having my yard be 131 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: a wild place without my parents concern of me inviting 132 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: in rats and such? Is it even that important? How 133 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: do other animals maintain their spaces so I don't feel 134 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 1: like an evil human for maintaining mine to other beings detriment? 135 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: Is there a bear or an animal who's obsessed with 136 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: having a flat, green lawn? Am I too much of 137 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,959 Speaker 1: a hippie? Thanks so much, Love your pod. This is 138 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: from Seth Hi Seth, So this is a great question. 139 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: Humans who love nature and animals often have a bit 140 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: of a conundrum we may love wildlife, but we don't 141 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: want to be exploited by certain urban animals like rats, mice, ticks, mosquitoes, roaches, etc. 142 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: Whose presence in our home can be gross, if not 143 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: outright dangerous to our health. So first things first, you 144 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: are not evil for maintaining your home in such a 145 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: way that is good for your health. So as much 146 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: as I love animals, including things like rats and mice, 147 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: having them in your home is not healthy. So I 148 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: don't think you should feel guilty at all for trying 149 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: to prevent that from happening. I'm very much in favor 150 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: of prioritizing your health and safety inside your home. It's 151 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: much better to try to prevent mice and rats from 152 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: getting in your home by say, making sure you don't 153 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 1: have food left out, a lot of nooks and crannies 154 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: for them to hide in, that your house is nice 155 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 1: and sealed, not leaving garbage bins open and accessible outside. 156 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:24,319 Speaker 1: I'll mention other techniques to keep them out of your home. 157 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: So prevention is the best. So how do you keep 158 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:31,839 Speaker 1: pests out while having a nice natural yard that's not 159 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: just kind of a golf course? Right? So I think 160 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:40,719 Speaker 1: it is possible, But let's get into it, because there's 161 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: a lot of different things you can do. First of all, 162 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:47,079 Speaker 1: it kind of depends on your location, like what pests 163 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: really present an issue in your location, right, Like what 164 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: species of mice and rats live near where you live. 165 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 1: It's always good to kind of be familiar with what 166 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: diseases are present in your area, right because that kind 167 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,559 Speaker 1: of changes can change your risk toalants. Right Like, if 168 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: you live somewhere where lime disease is a big deal, 169 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: having tall grass might be too risky. Whereas if you 170 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: live somewhere where lime disease is not really an issue, 171 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: and there's not a lot of ticks, you know, you 172 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: might want to have long grass and that might be fine. 173 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: Same thing with mice and rats. You can kind of 174 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: look into your area. You know, hantavirus things like that 175 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: are very very rare. I wouldn't personally, like be too 176 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: preoccupied with worrying about it, but it's always good to 177 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: kind of know if that's something that happens in your area, 178 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 1: and just be careful of having say like sheds or 179 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: enclosed areas where mice and rats can get into where 180 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: you would go in and then breathe, because that's how 181 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: those kinds of diseases transmit. But yeah, so in general, 182 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 1: just if you get familiar, like find out like where 183 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 1: you live, what are the pests that are the most 184 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:00,199 Speaker 1: likely to cause your problems, and also if there's any 185 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: diseases that are occur or are common in your area 186 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: to watch out for, because again, I think it is 187 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: really important to take care of your health as much 188 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: as it is important to be friendly to wildlife. So 189 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 1: once you know what you're dealing with, you're going to 190 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: be better able to make risk assessments for what you're 191 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: willing to put up with. Essentially, I would say if 192 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: you live in an area with a lot of pests 193 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:31,679 Speaker 1: like ticks especially, but also mice and rats, tall grass 194 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 1: is going to be a risk factor for those things 195 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 1: either getting on you like ticks or getting in your 196 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: home because ticks love tall grass, mice and rats love 197 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:43,319 Speaker 1: to hide around in tall grass, So if you have 198 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 1: a lot of tall grass, yeah, that might be a problem. 199 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: And I mean it's not even necessary. I feel like, 200 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:52,959 Speaker 1: I don't know where I've heard this notion, but I 201 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 1: feel like there's an idea that like dead tall grass 202 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: is bad because that's where all the ticks are, but 203 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: actually ticks really like moist environments. If you have a 204 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: really lush, tall wawnd, that actually might host a lot 205 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: of ticks. So if you have pets, that might be 206 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: a huge problem. And of course for you too, it 207 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 1: might be an issue walking around in that unless you 208 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 1: have paths that you can walk in or wear high 209 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: socks or long pants all the time. So rats, they 210 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,959 Speaker 1: are attracted to yards with a lot of hiding spots 211 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: and food resources. So rats love things like wood piles. 212 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 1: So if you've got a great woodpile right next to 213 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 1: your house, that might not be great if you live 214 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,839 Speaker 1: somewhere or there's a lot of rats and you can't 215 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: be sure that your house is completely sealed after them, 216 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: because they love being in the woodpile, and if that's 217 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: like right up next to your house, that's a nice 218 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: entry point for them. They also love unsecured structures, like 219 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 1: if you've got that old, loose, open shed, rats are 220 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: gonna love to go in there. Bird Seed, Now, this 221 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 1: is one that's kind of sad, right because if you 222 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: like to have a bird feeder or something out in 223 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: your yard, that's also going to attract rats. So if 224 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,480 Speaker 1: rats are a problem, I would say you might actually 225 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: want to get rid of that bird feeder, maybe repace 226 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:18,079 Speaker 1: it for a replace it with a bird fountain water fountain, 227 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: because that is just as if not more important than 228 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: a bird feeder for their health ause you're providing them 229 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 1: with a nice fresh source of flowing water, and you 230 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: will attract birds to your yard. They love bird baths, 231 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: they love bird feeders. So if rats are a problem 232 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: for you, maybe switch your bird feeder with seeds for 233 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: a bird bath or a bird fountain, or have a 234 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: bird feeder that's really really secure. But that's gonna be 235 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: tough because even if it's like really secure in terms 236 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: of only birds can get at it, the birds are 237 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: going to scatter seeds around, So that's a risk factor. 238 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 1: It's kind of up to you again, what's more important 239 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: to you and what your risk tolerance is. One way 240 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: to have your yard be a nice beacon for local 241 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: wildlife while also not being too welcoming too pests is 242 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: to have kind of like a semi maintained yard where 243 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: you have native plants right and can look up plants 244 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: that are native to your area. So instead of having 245 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: a lawn that gets really tall, you have a bunch 246 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: of plants that grow in your area, and then you 247 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: can kind of like groom them a bit, right, Like, 248 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: the best way to groom these plants, like to discourage 249 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: say rats from setting up shop while encouraging birds and 250 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: insects and all sorts of other animals that love these 251 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: plants is by making sure at the base of the 252 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: plant that there's not allowed of like dense ground coverage 253 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: near the base, so like sort of pruning the base 254 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 1: of the plant wild, maybe allowing the branches and everything 255 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: to grow as wild as you want. It's a good 256 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: way to have wild plants that animals like while not 257 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: creating sort of a suitable home for say rats. And yeah, 258 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: actually something that's kind of fun is if you live 259 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: in an area with hawks and owls, raptors, predators, predatory birds, 260 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 1: having trees even dead ones can be a nice perch 261 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: for them to look out for rodents. So like, if 262 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: you have I mean this is going to depend on 263 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: your preference, probably your neighbor's preference too, And also make 264 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 1: sure you don't live in an area with a lot 265 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: of fire risk. Right for having dead trees in your yard, 266 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: I certainly think that you should always Again, like it's 267 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: great to be welcoming to wildlife. You got to know 268 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: the risks of your areas of wildfires, is it ticks, 269 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 1: things like that, and then make sure you kind of 270 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: modify your yard to keep you safe while welcoming animals. 271 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: That being said, you have like a sort of a 272 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: dead tree in your yard and you don't really want 273 00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: to get rid of it, right like, you don't mind 274 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: how it looks. That's a nice perch for a hawk 275 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 1: ornel and that will also help you with your rodent problem. 276 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: And living trees are also great perches for raptors. So 277 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: if you don't like the spooky dead tree asthetic haunted house, look, 278 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 1: don't worry. You don't need to keep dead trees in 279 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: your yard. You can have plenty of perches for hawks 280 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: and owls. Anyways, there is I don't know how effective 281 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,399 Speaker 1: this is, but I'll throw it out there. Anyways, you 282 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 1: could potentially go on the offense by having plants that 283 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: rats actively dislike, like sage. I've read peppermint that could 284 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: offend them due to their strong smell. A note of 285 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: caution about peppermint, Apparently it's very very good at taking 286 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 1: over a garden or yard. So you gotta really like 287 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: peppermint to plant it. But yeah, I'm not really sure, 288 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: Like I think if you plant those they might I 289 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: just avoid those plants specifically. I don't know that they 290 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 1: would avoid your whole yard, though. I think a better 291 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: strategy potentially would be to replace. Say, you know, if 292 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: you don't like mowing the lan right that's legit. I 293 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: don't like mowing the lan I don't even have a lawn. 294 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: I don't have a yard right now, so who am 295 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: I to talk. But if you don't like mowing your 296 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:29,240 Speaker 1: lawn and you want some kind of ground cover, there's 297 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 1: a lot of groundcovers you can get that are really 298 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: low maintenance and also don't provide a lot of coverage 299 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: for animals that you may not want like rats, mice, ticks, etc. 300 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 1: While still being welcoming to local wildlife. So again I 301 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 1: would definitely advise probably the best thing is if you 302 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 1: have access to it, if you can afford it, finding 303 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 1: plants that are local to you, like native plants, and 304 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: then planting those, and there might be native groundcovers for 305 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: your area, but you can also just look into other groundcovers. 306 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: So here are some examples of ground covers that are 307 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: not so tall and thick that they would potentially welcome 308 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 1: rats in. There's clover, there's diamondia. There's creeping time, which 309 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,119 Speaker 1: may repel rats with its odor. Again, I don't know. 310 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: I'm a little skeptical of the repellent plants when it 311 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 1: comes to rats. I think rats are pretty stubborn when 312 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 1: they want to get somewhere. There's, honestly, so a lot 313 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: of choices that you can find something that works with 314 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: your aesthetic preferences, your yard maintenance preferences. Right, Like, if 315 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 1: you kind of want to set it and forget it, 316 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,159 Speaker 1: you can probably find a creeping ground cover that is 317 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: helpful for that. Just yeah, do a little bit of 318 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,439 Speaker 1: research into it, look into it. Some ground covers can 319 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:57,200 Speaker 1: be really aggressive, so it might actually require more maintenance 320 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: than you would like. So yeah, but there are ground 321 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:06,159 Speaker 1: covers other than grass that don't really require mowing. But 322 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,479 Speaker 1: we'll also keep your yard from becoming like a haven 323 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 1: for ticks and rats. But I hope I've given you 324 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 1: a range of options that might be helpful for you 325 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:20,360 Speaker 1: going forward. All right, So this email is called cats 326 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: can't Taste Sweet, but dot dot dot very suspenseful. Hi, Katie, 327 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 1: I know cats can't taste sweet, meaning they can't taste sweetness. 328 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: But my terrible tabby Phantom makes me think he can. 329 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: He is constantly trying to lick my beer when he 330 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 1: thinks I'm not looking. He will even lick coffee mugs 331 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,919 Speaker 1: if they are forgotten to be put back in the kitchen. 332 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 1: One time I was eating white chocolate and Phantom was 333 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 1: so persistent. I gave him a very tiny piece, thinking 334 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 1: he wouldn't like it. He chowed down and then wanted more. 335 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 1: He did not get any more. By the way, I've 336 00:20:57,440 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: never known a cat to be so particular about what 337 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 1: they want to eat eat. I know some cats like 338 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: people food, but why is he drawn to all these 339 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,199 Speaker 1: sweet things? Thank you for the pod and for answering 340 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:10,639 Speaker 1: all our questions. Melissa, So, I just did in a 341 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: photo from the alleged sweet thief, and he looks really 342 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: innocent to me. I don't know what to tell you. Melissa, 343 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: looks innocent. Innocent before proven guilty, is what I say. 344 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:26,400 Speaker 1: But to answer your question, this is really interesting. First, 345 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: let's address the baseline premise, right, can cats taste sweet things? 346 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:37,640 Speaker 1: So most of the evidence indicates that cats can't taste 347 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: sugar in the same way that we do right When 348 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 1: we taste sugar in general, we go bananas. We love it. 349 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: It tastes really good to us. The two thousand and 350 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 1: six study cats Lack a sweet Taste receptor found that 351 00:21:53,920 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 1: cats have an unexpressed tasks one R two gene, and 352 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: that is one of the two known genes that controls 353 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 1: sweet taste receptors. So the other gene tests one or three, 354 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:13,119 Speaker 1: seems to function fine in cats. So it's not that 355 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 1: they completely lack any genes that could potentially detect sweet taste. 356 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 1: It's that one of the main ones does not seem 357 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: to function. And also, there have been studies that show 358 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:28,679 Speaker 1: cats do not seem to have a preference for sugar 359 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 1: at all, they don't seem to be attracted to it. 360 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:35,719 Speaker 1: So many have interpreted this study as evidence that cats 361 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:39,359 Speaker 1: categorically cannot taste sweet right, like, they just can't taste 362 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: it in the same way we can't taste blue, or 363 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: you can't taste blue, you amateurs. So I think it 364 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:50,160 Speaker 1: might be more nuanced than cats just not being able 365 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:55,120 Speaker 1: to detect sweetness at all. I think it does show 366 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 1: they definitely have a difference in gene expression when it 367 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: comes to the ability to detect sweetness, which I think 368 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 1: for it might make it a really weak flavor, right 369 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: they might some cats may not be able to taste 370 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 1: it at all, some you know, maybe just really weak 371 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: and they don't really notice it. The study also goes 372 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,119 Speaker 1: on to talk about how there are individual differences of 373 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 1: gene expression for these genes and cats, so that leaves 374 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 1: us with a few interesting possibilities. So one is that 375 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:29,359 Speaker 1: most cats cannot taste sugar, but some cats have a 376 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 1: mutation that allow them to express that tas one or 377 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:36,160 Speaker 1: two gene or another related gene that actually allows them 378 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:42,960 Speaker 1: to taste the sweet better. Another option is that most 379 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 1: cats have a weak ability to taste sugar, like it's 380 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: not very strong. Maybe they don't even notice it, so 381 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 1: they're typically unresponsive to it. But there are some cats who, 382 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:57,959 Speaker 1: due to genetic variability, have a stronger response to sugar, 383 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 1: maybe stronger taste in general, right like in humans we 384 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: have supertasters who have more taste buds on their tongue. 385 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: And then the other option is that it is simply 386 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: not possible for any cat to taste sugar, regardless of 387 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 1: gene expression. So all these things I think are plausible. 388 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:20,159 Speaker 1: I lean more towards the more variable response, where some 389 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 1: cats might be able to detect it really weakly, and 390 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 1: maybe for some very particular cats with a particular gene 391 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 1: mutation or a supertaster can actually taste it more strongly. 392 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 1: That would be my guess. But all these things are possible. 393 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:41,199 Speaker 1: So yeah. The reason I lean towards maybe cats not 394 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 1: being absolutely in no circumstance being able to taste sweetness 395 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 1: is because the genes for sugar tasting is there, just 396 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:53,400 Speaker 1: that one of them does normally doesn't function. So they 397 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:57,399 Speaker 1: have like the recipes right for being able to taste sugar, 398 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: and one of them functions. Maybe that doesn't do any 399 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,679 Speaker 1: and one of them typically doesn't function, but maybe in 400 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:09,439 Speaker 1: some cats it actually is expressed more so, Yeah, it 401 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: could be a situation similar to super tasters in humans. 402 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: I'm actually something of a super taste or myself. Not 403 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 1: to brag, it's actually not a brag. It sucks. So 404 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,399 Speaker 1: it's a pretty useless superpower. It doesn't mean I'm a 405 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,399 Speaker 1: great somolier or food taste or whatever. Maybe some super 406 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 1: tasters are. I lack the skill to go along with it. 407 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 1: For me, it just means that a lot of things 408 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:39,679 Speaker 1: taste yucky. So I hate red velvet cake because it 409 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,479 Speaker 1: tastes really better to me. I believe it's because there 410 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:45,440 Speaker 1: is a red food dye in it that I can 411 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 1: kind of taste a bitterness to that. Most people who 412 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:51,959 Speaker 1: don't have like the extra taste buds, they can't taste it. 413 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,120 Speaker 1: So what good does that do me? I just can't 414 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 1: eat red velvet cake, so I have a higher density 415 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: of taste buds on my tongue. A lot of super 416 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,359 Speaker 1: tasters are very sensitive to sour and bitter, which is 417 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:08,439 Speaker 1: interesting because I actually like dark chocolate and I like 418 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:12,920 Speaker 1: things that are sour in the acidic sense, like lemons, 419 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: things like that. But it is interesting because a lot 420 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: of certain sour tastes like cream, cheese, yogurt, sour cream 421 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: are repulsive to me. I cannot handle it. Ah, So yeah, 422 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 1: which again it could be a psychological response. Though I 423 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 1: might have had a bad experience when I was a 424 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 1: kid with like sour milk or something right, and that 425 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: put me off sour tasting dairy products. So you know, 426 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: we might have a situation where it's a combination of 427 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 1: my weird genetic mutation having more taste buds and then 428 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:56,400 Speaker 1: my learned response to foods, And so this also can 429 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: go for your cat. Right, So there's a possibility that 430 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,160 Speaker 1: your cat may not be able to taste sweetness. Right, 431 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 1: he could, or maybe he can't, But he's simply highly 432 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: socially curious and engaged, and he can tell what you like. 433 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,160 Speaker 1: So maybe you like sweet things and he can see, Oh, man, 434 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 1: Melissa really loves this white chocolate, and he's really socially 435 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: aware and he gets a bad case of kitty fomo 436 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:29,640 Speaker 1: and he really wants what you enjoyed so thoroughly right, 437 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 1: So maybe he saw you sip in that beer. Like, man, 438 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:36,000 Speaker 1: Melissa really loves that beer. It's got to be great. 439 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: He goes and tastes it, and whether or not he 440 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 1: can enjoy the sweetness of it, he might be. Just 441 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 1: the thrill of tasting a thing that you have tasted 442 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,680 Speaker 1: might be enough for him to have a positive association 443 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 1: with it. So yeah, some cats are extremely interested in 444 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 1: human food, whereas others are less interested. This could be 445 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 1: due to differences taste or differences in their sociability, or 446 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 1: combination of both factors. So I unfortunately cannot recommend like 447 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 1: a taste test for your cat of sugar, coffee beer, 448 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 1: because those things aren't, you know, really good for cats. Obviously, 449 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 1: a tiny lick of some residue it's not gonna hurt 450 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 1: your cat, but probably shouldn't encourage it, so you might 451 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: kind of have to live with the mystery of whether 452 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: your cat really has a sweet tooth or if he 453 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: just loves you so much he wants to eat what 454 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 1: you're eating. I could be both. So thank you guys 455 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: so much for your questions. I always have a blast 456 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: answering them. If you have a question you'd like me 457 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 1: to answer on the show, you can write to me 458 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: at Creature Feature Pod at gmail dot com. Can be 459 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 1: about evolutionary biology, can be about your pets, can be 460 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: about that poor lonely pigeon who lost all his friends 461 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 1: because gosh, you know, I don't. I'm not gonna spill 462 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 1: the tea on this pigeon. I feel like his business 463 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 1: is his business. Well, guys, thank you so much for listening, 464 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 1: and thanks to the Space Cossics for their super awesome 465 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: song ex Aluminus. Creature features the production of iHeartRadio. For 466 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 1: more podcasts like the one you just heard, visit the iHeartRadio, 467 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 1: app Apple podcasts or hey, guess what where have you 468 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows. I'm not your mother, and 469 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 1: I can't tell you what to do. I can tell you. 470 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 1: Can you not cats? But can you have a little 471 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 1: bit of white chocolate as a treat? Yes? Yes, you 472 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 1: can see you next Wednesday.