This week, we’ve called on our favorite expert pet owners to answer your questions about the unruly critters in your life. Faux Paws is Slate’s pet advice column. Submit questions here.
Dear Faux Paws,
My husband (cis male) and I (cis female) are in our early-30s and are lucky enough to own our home in a suburban area outside the city. Our neighborhood is somewhat close-knit, with yearly block parties. We don’t have kids and are rather shy so we don’t socialize as much with the rest of the block, but we have a pretty good relationship. In 2020, we were given two chicks, and a few months later after bonding with these babies, we found out we had two roosters. They are literally our world—we even bought them a stroller so we can go on walks with them. And their coop has a heater and A/C unit (yes, we’re extra).
We are very very lucky because our neighbors LOVE our roosters. We now have four, they have crow collars so they aren’t too loud. We’ve never had complaints. I’ve asked and given out my number so people can tell me if they’re being too loud, but everyone assures me they can’t hear them when they’re in their house. When foxes come into the neighborhood, I get a bunch of texts from neighbors checking in on the boys.
One of our neighbors across the street is moving. I’m terrified that the new neighbors are going to hear our boys and call animal control on us. Do I simply act like nothing’s wrong unless it’s brought up, or do I introduce myself and mention our boys? They’re technically against city ordinance, but it’s not a misdemeanor or anything. I don’t want bad blood between neighbors but these chickens mean the world to us.
—There’s Some Roos In The House
Dear Roos,
I have mixed feelings about the story as you’ve presented it. I’m unclear on if you were in the market for chicks in the first place, or if someone bestowed two baby chicks on you with no prior context or warning—which, if it’s the latter, that’s kind of odd. However, you were aware that roosters were illegal in your city, and yet you knowingly purchased two more. Are hens legal where you live, or is it all chickens that are against the law to keep? If hens are legal, why would you not get females when expanding your flock?
I appreciate that you love your roosters, and I’m relieved that you remained doting parents even after discovering the original chicks were male—I know some people simply slaughter unwanted roosters, which I do not support. But the fact remains that these roosters are against city ordinance, and if someone chooses to report you to animal control, you may be in a bind. You will need to look more closely at the penalties for breaking this ordinance in your specific city. Just because it isn’t a misdemeanor doesn’t mean it couldn’t upset your life. Is it a daily fine, and if so how much? Confiscation of the roosters? Something else? What you need is a backup plan. If these new neighbors, or anyone else, report you, what will you do? Is there a safe place for your roosters to go? This is probably cost prohibitive, but can you move to a place with fewer ordinances? That may sound extreme, but it might be the only way you can keep them.
As for talking to your new neighbors about the roosters, it’s a tough call. They certainly will see them, and even with the crow collars, they will probably still hear them. You may want to bring them a plate of cookies during their first week to welcome them to the neighborhood and give them your number to let you know if the roosters are bothering them. That would be a kind neighborly gesture, but I can’t promise it will work. And if any of your neighbors ever do complain about the roosters, what is your plan to address that concern? Roosters, as I’m sure you know, do not respond to shushing.
Living in a Zoopolis
Check out Slate’s Hi-Phi Nation podcast for this week’s episode on what it would look like to give animals full legal rights.
Dear Faux Paws,
My husband and I are thinking about adopting a cat or two. My main concern is that my mom is very allergic to cats. She lives about an hour away so she doesn’t visit super often, but she stays overnight with us once or twice a year. I also sometimes host family holiday gatherings. She can briefly visit homes with cats if she takes medicine, but she avoids staying the night. I honestly think she might take it a bit personally if we do get a cat. We don’t have kids currently for her to visit, but we could in the future. If it were just me I would get a dog and avoid the issue, but my husband is very much not a dog person. A young cat could outlive my mom at this point, so I’m feeling kind of guilty, but I also think we would be happier with a pet. Am I a bad daughter if I make my mom uncomfortable in my home for the next 15 years?
—Feline Guilty
Dear Feline Guilty,
As a cat-lover who grew up in a cat-free home due to other family members’ allergies, you’d better believe I got two cats as soon as I was able as an adult. I firmly believe that when getting a pet, as long as the family members who live in the home aren’t allergic, you’re good to go.
If you hosted a family gathering, could she still come but not stay the night? I don’t see why she would even need to if she only lives an hour away. Heck, I make day trips to see family living three hours away. Maybe your mother is uncomfortable driving alone or at night. In that case, you and your husband can make the effort to drive to her house instead or find a fun restaurant or activity where you can both meet in the middle. If she’s coming to you, she can always get a hotel room in your town (maybe you can even chip in).
In short? You’re not a bad daughter. Get the cat. Actually, get two cats so they have a friend. You won’t regret it.
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Dear Faux Paws,
I don’t have a weird pet (just an adorable English Shepard/Poodle mix), but he is a goofy character and has been doing something especially strange the past couple weeks. He LOVES hanging out and sleeping in the car. My garage is attached to my house, so he will wait by the door to be let out into the garage, and then wait by the car door to be let into the car. He’ll hop in and stay there the whole evening until bed time. For example, I’ll come home at 6 p.m. and he will go hang out in the car until I coax him out with a treat to head to bed at 11 p.m. He doesn’t even come out to try to lick the dirty dinner dishes in the dishwasher, which is one of his favorite things (I know he can hear me load the dishwasher—I leave the garage door cracked open so he can come back inside, and leave the car door wide open)! He also just stays in the car and chills after we’ve come home from somewhere. The other night I coaxed him out by shaking his favorite treat bag, and when he came inside and I treated him he proceeded to take it into the garage to hop back in the car instead! Does he want to go for a joy ride? Go get a pup cup? Go see his grandparents and sisters? Afraid I’m going to leave without him?
—What’s My Doodle Doing?
Dear Doodle,
That’s a conundrum! I haven’t heard that one before, but I have a couple of thoughts. The first thing you should do whenever your dog has a sudden, out-of-character change in behavior, is take him to the vet. I don’t want to alarm you, because it very well could be just silliness, but it’s best to eliminate the possibility of an underlying health condition causing this behavior. Your vet may also have some ideas about why your dog is doing this if there isn’t a medical cause.
Does your dog have a crate or somewhere in the home that is specifically his where he can retreat? Has your home been rowdier or noisier than normal? What about temperature? Is the garage warmer or colder than the house? This could be caused by anxiety or overstimulation, or even OCD-type behavior, which you can also talk to your vet about, or ask your vet to recommend a behaviorist. One of my dogs is terrified of fireworks. Three months post-July 4th he was still hiding in his crate every day and refusing to come out even for his favorite activities. He now takes Prozac daily and is his cheerful self again (except on Independence Day).
If your vet/behaviorist confirms there’s nothing physically or mentally wrong, try to think about what your dog might be associating with the car. You mention this is a new behavior; have there been any life changes before this behavior began? What do you normally do when your dog rides with you in the car, and has that changed recently? You mention pup cups—how often do you take your dog to Starbucks and has that started or shifted recently? Try to think about what happened in the car immediately before this behavior started. Did you go see his grandparents, who gave him a whole steak and a handful of Beggin’ strips? Think through anything he might be associating with the car or the places he goes in the car. Good luck with your goofy boy—I can tell you love him.
—Ariel
Pet Advice From Slate
I got married two years ago to a wonderful man, but he hates my cat and I’m not sure what to do. He is allergic but refuses to take allergy medicine because he doesn’t like to take pills. He began dating me knowing I had a cat (actually, two then). He often lets the cat out, ignores him to the point that the cat is terrified by him (he runs out of any room my husband walks through), and complains about him weekly.
