Mikel Maria Delgado, PhD

A sign with the text "PLEASE NO DUCKS" featuring an illustration of a duck and two smaller ducks, enclosed in a red prohibition circle.

You can tickle the penguins
And get them to laugh
You can just sing a song
To amuse the giraffes
Just a little soft-shoe
Will delight the woodchucks
But try as you might
You can’t

10 Excellent Cat Beds Cats may decide what counts as a cat bed — but you can give them some pretty great options.

Wondering about cat beds? I spoke to @nytwirecutter.bsky.social about some of the things your cat might be looking for in a cat bed!
www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/r...

Frontiers of Animal Welfare: Insects Farmed as Food and Feed Wednesday, February 25th, 3:30 PM ET Virtual link: bit.ly/cawsfeb2026 Dr. Meghan Barrett, PhD Assistant Professor of Biology, Indiana University Director, Insect Welfare Research Society Insects are already the most abundant livestock animals in the world and numbers are projected to grow nearly 1000% by 2033. Two species of farmed insects - black soldier flies and yellow mealworm beetles - can help recycle wastes, making agricultural systems circular and sustainable; however, little is known about the sentience or welfare of these mini-livestock. This talk will introduce insects, their potential sentience at different life stages, and what welfare challenges they may face when farmed as food and feed. A brief review of some of the work ongoing in the Barrett lab to identify welfare concerns (and solutions for them), as well as early-stage work to begin the process of validating welfare indicators, will also be discussed. Purdue University prohibits discrimination against any member of the University community on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran. If you are in need of accommodations to attend this program, please contact us prior to the meeting at 765-496-0277 or caws@purdue.edu by February 18, 2026. If you need an interpreter or translator, please contact us prior to the meeting at 765-496-0277 or caws@purdue.edu by February 18, 2026.

Wednesday, Feb 25, 3:30 PM ET: Purdue University's Center for Animal Welfare Science is hosting a virtual talk by Dr. Meghan Barrett Director of the Insect Welfare Research Society
Frontiers of Animal Welfare: Insects Farmed as Food and Feed
Virtual Seminar
vet.purdue.edu/CAWS/news-ev...

That's so good to hear. Some kitties really do so well on the behavior meds!!

Is RFK a never nude????

Lots of female cats spray actually! As you have learned first hand.

Yes! Fluoxetine is a common first pick but I know there are other options if this isn't a good fit!! Glad your boy is doing well!

Thank you!!

Today she is a little subdued but eating normally. I'll be sharing occasional updates on how she's doing.

A dilute tortoiseshell tabby and white cat laying on a heated cat bed

Do you have a pet on behavior medication? If so, you are not alone! Today is day 1 of Coriander's fluoxetine (Prozac) journey. Recently, she has been a bit rough with her sisters and also gets upset by the neighbor kitty, so we are hoping she will feel calmer and happier with a serotonin boost!!

i think jesse jackson was one of the most important american political figures of the post-war era and i think that his 1984 and 1988 campaigns for the democratic nomination still have a great deal to teach about forging a path to a more egalitarian world. RIP.

I pitched a new book idea to my agent today...and she likes it?!!? Am I going to write another book?

Are we meeting senior cats’ needs? - As cats age, their health, behavior, and needs change. But are their humans providing them an environment that helps them age well?

New research looked at what types of enrichment and activities cat caregivers provide for senior cats! Read about the study on my blog!!!

whatyourcatwants.com/are-we-meeti...

Go bird-watching this weekend and support a global community science project Avian enthusiasts around the world will identify and count birds from February 13 through February 16 as part of a massive community science project

Avian enthusiasts around the world will identify and count birds from February 13 through February 16 as part of a massive community science project

Anyone else remember when oxygen bars were a thing

hmmm, I'm not a vet so I'm not sure about muscle cramps but there are lots of reasons that cats may experience pain including joint disease (arthritis) and neurological issues such as hyperesthesia which can make some cats attack their own bodies.

This week marks a year since 10% of the CDC work force was fired. We are more vulnerable to the next pandemic,outbreak monitoring is crumbling, measles is basically endemic again,vaccine guidelines are now RFK Jr fan fiction.
All it took was one year.

FDA declines to review Moderna's mRNA flu shot Under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Food and Drug Administration has taken an aggressive stance against mRNA technology.

I genuinely cannot believe the degree to which we are pissing away this generational breakthrough, even given the fuckmuppets who are involved www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Post a banger that isn't in English
youtu.be/o0AzO0t-L2w?...

I'm on that team!

The wingspan board game "nesting box" which is a large box with cool birds on it which holds all the parts of the game

I love a board game that needs a gigantic box to keep all the parts organized #iykyk

Cute three legged tortoiseshell cat rolling around on the sidewalk

I met a very nice tripod tortie today

#cats #catsky #CatsOfBlueSky #aging #age #elderly #geriatric #senior #frailty #frail #pets #caregivers #veterinary #vetmed #vetsky

Worldwide Mask Bloc Directory – Find your local Mask Bloc MaskBloc.org lists active Mask Blocs around the world. Free high-quality masks, COVID-19 tests and other equipment for your community. Mutual Aid & We Keep Us Safe.

Hey, if you think what’s happening with healthcare in the US is terrible because healthcare is a human right and it’s being made inaccessible… you could stop spreading illness that folks can’t afford to treat, take time off work to recover from, etc.

Mask up. N95s are community care.

Mutual aid:

Helping the aging cat: Understanding frailty - Our cats are living longer lives than ever before, drawing attention to questions about their quality of life as they age.

New blog post up - part one of a series on aging in cats - FIRST UP - feline frailty, reviewing some research I was part of that was published last year.

whatyourcatwants.com/helping-the-aging-cat-understanding-frailty

Are outdoor cats happier than indoor cats? 🐈‍⬛ 🏠 🌾 And we answer all your cat questions.

I recently chatted with the folks at No Such Thing podcast about keeping indoor cats happy!!

www.nosuchthing.show/p/are-outdoo...

World's least surprising stat, now with alt text:

Photo: Cute groundhog Text: So at the end of the day, while Groundhog Day is a great movie, and a cute holiday, it might be helpful to take a step back and think about what kind of message this day sends us about animals and science.

Text: "Finally, I just want folks to be aware that Groundhog Day is not necessarily good for groundhogs (or the people trying to hold them). One year, Bill de Blasio dropped a groundhog, who later died from internal injuries. De Blasio's predecessor, Mayor Bloomburg, was bitten by the groundhog, Chuck, when he tried to pull him out of his hutch." Image: NYT headline "reclusive staten island groundhog bites mayor"

Text: Are these rodents even good at predicting the weather? Turns out, no. Their "predictions" are only correct 35-40% of the time. Image: Headline "Punxsatawney Phil predicts a long winter this Groundhog Day - but how much should we trust the prophetic rodent?"