Who says Kats don't like birds?

Guest host John Katsilometes proves them all wrong on Episode 131 of "The Petcast," which will soon be online. Our new friends Phil and Nicole stopped by the LV Rocks Studio with some feathered friends, including "Big Girl" (pictured right). Who knew these birds could be so charming? Big Girl was rescued from the street after becoming ill, and Phil kindly nursed her back to health. There's plenty of information online for people interested in owning pigeons as pets, and we encourage you to pause and take a closer look the next time you pass one in an urban settting.

Turn off "Idol" and break out the Kitty Dancer ...

So, what was most shocking about this terrific article on portly house cats? Perhaps the research showing as few as six extra pieces of kibble can turn kitty from tiger to tubby.

The Healing Power of Dogs

On Petcast Episode No. 130, which will be posted online soon, author Sharon Saxson talked about her new book "Paws and Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs." An interesting article about Saxon in the New York Times serves as a perfect intro to the upcoming show.

Leon 1, Archie 0

According to the American Kennel Club, bulldogs were more popular than miniature schnauzers in 2007. The bullies galumped their way into the Top 10 for the first time in decades, squeezing out the perennial favorite mini schnauzer. Far from complaining, Archie actually thinks this is good news for his breed. Less popular means less demand for puppies, and thus fewer puppy mill litters languishing pet stores and newspaper classifieds. Guest host Amy would probably agree that being popular isn't the greatest news for bulldogs, who already suffer a host of health problems that are only exacerbated by over-breeding. But we'll let her dog Leon enjoy his moment of triumph, anyway.

Dog = Fire Alarm

Maybe they should start stocking dogs in the fire prevention aisle at Home Depot? Once again, a dog alerted its owners to a house fire, saving at least one life. It's getting to be almost a routine story, as Emily and guest host Dayvid discussed in Episode No. 116. Laney (the black lab pictured right being hugged by a grateful owner) is our Heroic Pet of the Day.

Farewell, Tatiana

Following the fatal mauling of a 17-year-old visitor and the serious wounding of two of his friends, the San Francisco Zoo has construction teams working 'round the clock checking the enclosures of all its large animal exhibits. It turns out the 4-foot wall protecting the public from the polar bears was deemed to low by experts. The zoo also has allowed visitors to pay their respects to Tatiana, (pictured right) the 350-pound Siberian tiger shot and killed by police after the attack. The thought of someone being attacked by a polar bear in the middle of San Francisco would have been, at one time, an absurd scenario. But then who could have envisioned what took place Christmas Eve? Incidentally, we're hopeful additional witnesses will come forward to either support or disprove one woman's account that the young men may have been taunting the tiger.

Miss Congeniality!

Lovely little Gracie certainly earned the title during her recent visit to the Petcast Studio. Our friend Jeri Muntis, a local schnauzer owner and professional handler, joined us for Episode No. 124, which will be available online soon at www.thepetcast.com. While older sister Katie charmed Steve (and kept his lap warm), 9-week old Gracie showed us the beauty of natural, uncropped ears. Jeri's dogs have earned top honors in conformation, obedience and agility. Her oldest dog Steeler is Archie's half-brother.