By: The Refresh Editors

If you’ve ever gotten one of our email newsletters or glimpsed our Twitter feed, you’ll have gathered that we at The Refresh are animal lovers. Lauren has written with love about her cat, Jelli, and Andrea’s starting the journey to fur-parent-dom with visits to animal shelters and cat cafes. We purr with delight whenever a pitch about pets hits our inbox. (By the way, if you’ve got one, sent it to rfrshmail (at) gmail (dot) com. Although this list is pretty cat-centric, we welcome writing on all types of animal companions.

If you’re curious about the inner workings of your pet, or just love heartwarming tails (see what we did there?), check out these highlights:

Purrsonality Traits: How Science Can Help Shelter Cats Find Homes 

If apps can be used to match potential mates or friends, believe it or not, some scientists think the same technology can be used to match cats and their potential humans. Ashleigh Papp looks into a study in which scientists “interviewed” nearly 3,000 domesticated cats and measured their behavior against five personality factors. If awareness of a feline’s personality can help get them our of shelters and into happy homes, we’re swiping right!

Human Training for Happier Dogs 

Even though dog behavior can be baffling or frustrating, this well-researched piece by Natalie Parletta is an encouragement not to give up on a disruptive canine companion. A modern breed of dog trainers teach us “there is no such thing as a problem dog.” Humans can learn more about the way their canine companions are hard-wired and make changes to the environment

A Love Story, Perchance

You’ll “aww” after every paragraph of Cynthia Sillitoe’s reminiscence of this quirky cat: “When Mom cooked, instead of whining for tidbits like our other cats had, Percie sat on the kitchen counter and watched each step with great seriousness as if she thought she would need to prepare cheese enchiladas or a fruit salad one day.” It’s a charming account of how a pet can transform your life and become “the best part of every day.”

Purrs to Healing: Should Doctors be Prescribing Cats?

Meg Crane explores some interesting scientific research, plus her lived experience, on how cats can promote healing and wellness. We’re not saying bringing a cat home will be a cure-all, but if you’re looking to bring one home anyway (and are not too allergic), it’s worth knowing about these surprising health benefits.

Main photo courtesy of: Krista Mangulsone