The Science of Pets
Published on 4. December 2025
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-6680-6926-4 (ISBN)
Description
In the tradition of The Inside of a Dog, top science writer and TV personality Jay Ingram shares new insights into the hearts, minds, and bodies of the animals who love us (or do they?).
More than one billion pets live in homes around the world, sleeping on dog beds, clawing at cat trees, swimming in bowls, crawling around in aquariums. Canada, the United States, Brazil, the EU, and China make up half of those households, with half of the world's population owning a pet of some sort. Yet despite the ubiquitous animals that lick our faces and steal food off the counter, we really don't know a lot about the scientific side of their existence: why do dogs spin around when excited, do our cats really love us, do lizards make good pets, can single-celled organisms be considered pets (you can cut the hydra in two and have two pets!), what are parrots thinking, and can a horse be considered a pet? Or pigs (even those sent to market)? Or praying mantises? Or how about robot pets in Japan, caring for the elderly?
Veteran science broadcaster and journalist Jay Ingram, author of twenty popular science titles, including the bestselling Science of Why series, has researched the latest science behind our beloved furry, and not-so-furry, creatures that sleep on our sofas and eat our pizza crusts. Along the way, he discusses the myths and misconceptions about our companions: do dogs always do their business facing north? Why are we seeing a rise in exotic pets such as tigers and bears? Are the deer and foxes we see "rescued" on Instagram considered pets and could they be domesticated? Did dogs entirely evolve from wolves, and why? Can you communicate with a turtle? Do highly intelligent octopi make good pets? And why are baby animals, like baby humans, so darned cute: have they evolved to be born cute as a survival mechanism, and would that cuteness matter to others of their own kind who might consider them their next lunch?
Full of fabulous insights, humorous asides, and the wisdom of decades in science reporting, The Science of Pets will elucidate as it entertains. You will never look at your pets the same way again (but be sure they're watching you closely).
More than one billion pets live in homes around the world, sleeping on dog beds, clawing at cat trees, swimming in bowls, crawling around in aquariums. Canada, the United States, Brazil, the EU, and China make up half of those households, with half of the world's population owning a pet of some sort. Yet despite the ubiquitous animals that lick our faces and steal food off the counter, we really don't know a lot about the scientific side of their existence: why do dogs spin around when excited, do our cats really love us, do lizards make good pets, can single-celled organisms be considered pets (you can cut the hydra in two and have two pets!), what are parrots thinking, and can a horse be considered a pet? Or pigs (even those sent to market)? Or praying mantises? Or how about robot pets in Japan, caring for the elderly?
Veteran science broadcaster and journalist Jay Ingram, author of twenty popular science titles, including the bestselling Science of Why series, has researched the latest science behind our beloved furry, and not-so-furry, creatures that sleep on our sofas and eat our pizza crusts. Along the way, he discusses the myths and misconceptions about our companions: do dogs always do their business facing north? Why are we seeing a rise in exotic pets such as tigers and bears? Are the deer and foxes we see "rescued" on Instagram considered pets and could they be domesticated? Did dogs entirely evolve from wolves, and why? Can you communicate with a turtle? Do highly intelligent octopi make good pets? And why are baby animals, like baby humans, so darned cute: have they evolved to be born cute as a survival mechanism, and would that cuteness matter to others of their own kind who might consider them their next lunch?
Full of fabulous insights, humorous asides, and the wisdom of decades in science reporting, The Science of Pets will elucidate as it entertains. You will never look at your pets the same way again (but be sure they're watching you closely).
Reviews / Votes
"In The Science of Pets, the fascinating behaviours of the animals we call our own are explored, challenging common myths and misconceptions."- CBC Books "Science writer Ingram (The Future of Us) provides an intriguing . . . exploration of the creatures humans keep as pets . . . this solid work of popular science will likely have wide appeal."
- Publishers Weekly "This expansive look at people and pets is a fun read for young adults to seniors, whether they are dog people, cat people, or not pet people at all."
- Library Journal "The Science of Pets paints a vivid picture of what we know about our relationship to dogs and cats, as well as a variety of exotic pets, like horses, parrots, and even robots. In a light accessible manner, Jay Ingram tells us about the people and personalities that are attracted to different pets, and even whether it is true that people look like their dogs. A must-read for all pet owners."
- STANLEY COREN, author of How to Speak Dog and How Dogs Think "Jay Ingram himself would make the ideal pet: he's a joy to spend time with (as you'll see when you read this wise and witty book) and he's always reliable (The Science of Pets is just the latest home run in a long line of excellent books by him). Curling up with a book as good as this one is the next best thing to having your favourite pooch at your side or cat in your lap. From the origin of dogs to the robotic pets of the future, Ingram covers every aspect of our relationships with the animals that become beloved members of our families, seamlessly combining rich insights across the sciences, from evolution to the psychology of both humans and our furry (or feathered or scaly!) companions. A wonderful read!"
- ROBERT J. SAWYER, Hugo Award-winning author of The Downloaded "Overall, The Science of Pets is enjoyable and illuminating and a book that pet owners should read, if only to do some soul-searching about their need to keep an animal."
- Literary Review of Canada "Jay Ingram takes his keen eye for the science behind everyday things to illuminate everything pet, from the history of how humans and pets came to align, through the science behind why we have pets and how our relationship with pets has influenced our own and their evolution. Fascinating, engaging, and approachable, The Science of Pets deepens our appreciation for how and why we relate to the animals we cherish."
- MARK L. WINSTON, FRSC, Professor Emeritus and Senior Fellow, Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, Simon Fraser University
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 233 mm
Width: 159 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
452 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-6680-6926-4 (9781668069264)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Jay Ingram has hosted two national science programs in Canada, Quirks & Quarks on CBC radio and Daily Planet on Discovery Channel Canada. He is the author of twenty books, which have been translated into fifteen languages, including the bestselling five-volume The Science of Why series. In 2015, he won the Walter C. Alvarez Award from the American Medical Writers' Association for excellence in communicating health care developments and concepts to the public, and from 2005 to 2015 he chaired the Science Communications Program at the Banff Centre. Jay has seven honorary degrees, was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and is a Member of the Order of Canada. He is a cofounder of the arts and engineering street festival called Beakerhead in Calgary. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia. Connect with him on X @JayIngram.