What’s Making News Around the World this Month, for Cats and Dogs?

🌍 Pet News: Global Stories Worth Wagging About

1. Europe, Verywell Health (from Scientific Reports), ~4 Aug 2025, Owning a Cat or Dog May Slow Cognitive Decline in Seniors
    Based on 18 years of SHARE data across Europe (~16,500 adults aged 50–99), pet ownership was linked to slower memory decline—dog owners showed broader memory protection—highlighting mental stimulation from caring for pets. The Independent+2Verywell Health+2Health+2

2. Australia, New York Post (reporting FSANZ approval), ~4 Aug 2025, Virgin Australia Gets OK to Carry Pets in Cabin
    Regulator FSANZ now permits small dogs and cats in cabin on select Virgin Australia flights, marking the first pet-in‑cabin domestic policy—pets must fit in carrier under 17.6 lb and be booked ahead; pilot retains final approval.nypost.com

3. UK, The Sun / Tails.com vet column, 2–3 Aug 2025, Advice on Great Dane Behaviours, Cat Catio Safety & Pet Names Trend
    Head vet Sean answers reader Q&A spanning oversized dog training to catio recommendations, and notes rising popularity of celebrity-inspired pet names like Billie and Ed. thesun.co.uk

4. UK, The Sun (health column), ~31 Jul 2025, Elderly Woman Dies After Dog Lick Causes Septic Shock
    An 83‑year‑old died from Pasteurella multocida infection after a possible dog lick to a wound. Though rare, doctors urge extra hygiene caution for elderly or immunocompromised pet owners. ~600 lab‑confirmed cases per year in England and Wales. The Independent+12thesun.co.uk+12The Independent+12

5. UK, The Independent, ~1–2 Aug 2025, Science Reassesses Cat Sleep-Share and Allergy Risks
    Experts weigh in on whether pets should sleep in beds, allergy triggers in cats and dogs, and how wellness diets are shaping modern pet care—advice for healthier pet lifestyles. 9News+15The Independent+15honey.nine.com.au+15

6. India, Economic Times English edition, 1 Aug 2025, Women Researcher’s Childhood Cat Study Ignites Feline Career
    Madoka Hattori’s first cat experiment at age six blossomed into 39 peer-reviewed papers on feline cognition—a story of lifelong pet passion driving academic excellence. Best Pet Daily

7. Asia region NGOs, Asia for Animals (AfA), recent, Viral Trend Scaring Cats with Tin Foil Draws Welfare Concerns
    Animal advocates in Asia denounce viral “tin foil scare” pranks that stress cats for online content, calling for policy action and ethical social media campaigns. ABC+6Asia for Animals+6CNA+6

8. UK, Verywell / Independent coverage, Scientists decode mystery genes behind cat purr & behaviour
    New genetics research reveals the neurological and evolutionary basis behind distinct purring traits in cats, shedding light on breed-specific communication. The Independent

9. International (arXiv), machine learning wellness‑visit classification study Jun 2024 (republished)
    Researchers validated a model distinguishing between preventive wellness and other visits for dogs and cats, with 90 % accuracy—potentially improving early detection of subclinical conditions. arXiv

10. International (arXiv), individual cat recognition via neural networks Oct 2024, facial‑recognition tech for identifying cats
     Comparisons of CNNs like ConvNeXt and DenseNet show high accuracy in identifying individual cats, useful for pet retail, shelters and loss recovery systems. arXiv

11. Croatia / Global, ArXiv platform June 2025, Shelter Soul pet‑adoption matching platform paper published
     Introduces a smart matching system that ties shelter operations, donor management and adopters’ profiles to boost pet adoption outcomes globally. thesun.co.uk+1Asia for Animals+1

12. UK, Independent, coverage of pet cloning popularity in China, ~late July/early August 2025
     Reporting a rising trend among Chinese pet owners opting for cloning to "extend" their pets’ lives—raising questions about ethics, welfare and regulation. The Independent

13. UK, The Independent, warnings over raw cat food linked to bird‑flu contamination
     British vets advise caution after independent recall of raw pet food potentially containing bird‑flu virus, stressing safe sourcing and cooking protocols. The Independent+1Sky News+1

14. UK, The Independent, researchers decode why orange cats are genetically unique
     Study explores why ginger tabbies share common behavioural traits and health predispositions, guiding breed‑specific care tips. CNA+9The Independent+9The Independent+9

15. UK, The Independent, designers use pet-friendly home design trends to support canine wellness
     New home‑architecture features—indoor dog‑relief zones, calming scent corridors and energizing play zones—are emerging to enhance pet wellbeing. thesun.co.uk+7The Independent+7Health+7nypost.com+2thesun.co.uk+27NEWS+2

16. UK, Independent readers essay, reader bond essay: cats and dogs preferable to spouses after stress
     A personal narrative reflecting broader audience sentiment that pets offer more satisfying companionship than human relationships in stressful times. Health+3The Independent+3The Independent+3

Read Later or Share?

It’s easy to pin this article to Pinterest, to read later or to share with other pet parents!

Just click the red Pinterest “Save” button located on the top left hand side of any image in this article.