Creature Features

Surely you’ve heard of that cartoon that says, “On the Internet, no one knows you’re a dog.” Just in case there’s something to that, this week’s offering is sure to please our wired four-legged friends (or at least the people who feed them).

* Rover been a little out of sorts lately? Felix won’t come out from underneath the bed? Tune in to the Pet Channel (https://www.thepetchannel.com/) for answers. It’s got all the bases covered: pet horoscopes, pet news, pet training, pet classifieds, pet forums, event calendars and breeder contacts. And if Felix’s affection just isn’t in the stars, you can read the Pet Toons to pass the time until her Venus is rising again.

* Tired of the high jinks over at the JennyCam? Maybe the CatCam (https://www.catcam.com/) is more your speed. Watch fat cats Beowulf and Ebi sleep or eat. Images are updated every 10 minutes, or you can browse the gallery of old pictures. They say there’s something for everyone on the Web . . . though who the Litterpan Cam (https://members.accessus.net/~dejay) is designed to entertain eludes me. A new photo is taken every 10 seconds, so don’t worry about missing a thing.

* Don’t you just hate when people name their dogs Baby or their cats Miss Kitty? We understand that picking a name for your pet is never easy. So if Spot or Fluffy just don’t make the cut, check out https://www.bowwow.com.au/indexnormal.htm. Answer a few questions--such as type of animal and name category (human names, nature, food, etc.)--and they’ll give you a list of options.

* Oh sure, you want to get out of town . . . but what about Buster? Maybe he just needs some time away. Well, if your idea of owner-pet bonding includes a road trip, head first to Pets Welcome (https://www.petswelcome.com/). It’s a listing of thousands of U.S. and Canadian hotels, motels, inns and B&Bs; that allow you to bring your pet. Some of the places even have links to make reservations easier.

* General pet-care issues can be addressed directly to Healthy Pet (https://www.healthypet.com/). Browse the pet-care library or get animal hospital and vet referrals. There’s even a kids’ coloring page.

The Virtual Veterinary Center is for more serious-minded folk. It’s an excellent resource for those who want to dedicate their lives to the veterinary sciences, with dictionaries and glossaries, literature and patent searches, online journals and vet schools’ curriculum. The Virtual Vet is at https://www-sci.lib.uci.edu/~martindale/Vet.html.

* Don’t forget the importance of your pet’s dental health. Well, if you do, Pet Dental will be happy to remind you. Since most pets don’t have opposable thumbs, they can’t brush their own teeth. Find out how to do it, how often, what kids can do and other dental health info at https://www.petdental.com. You can also play Hill’s Ultimate Famous Pet Challenge game.

* The American Veterinary Medicine Assn. site (https://www.avma.org/care4pets/) has all sorts of pet-care info--from selecting a pet to raising farm pets in the city. There’s news, breed statistics, a kids’ corner and pet stories.

Oh, sure, that’s all fine if you have something like a dog or cat . . . but what’s a hedgehog lover to do? Perhaps go to the National Alternative Pet Assn. site (https://www.altpet.net/). Ferrets, gerbils, snakes, lizards, prairie dogs, de-scented skunks, lynxes, wallabies, emus, llamas and monkeys--they’re all covered here. The site has information on exotic pet care, rescue, adoption, breeders, books, laws, gift ideas and supplies.

* The American Pet Assn. (https://www.apapets.com/) and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (https://la.digitalcity.com/spcala/) are, respectively, national and local humane societies dedicated to promoting responsible pet ownership. Both have adoption info, event calendars and other pet-related info. The APA also offers an Ask the Vet section and pet forums.

* For some, losing a pet is like losing a member of the family. If your pet has died recently and you find yourself needing some support, check out the Assn. for Pet Loss and Bereavement (https://www.aplb.org). The Virtual Pet Cemetery (https://www.lavamind.com/pet.html) is a big online pet memorial with poems. You can add your own stories and pictures or read others’.

For the Record: Information about the Orange County Museum of Art given in the Aug. 3 Cyberspace column was incomplete. The museum’s site failed to mention that the Laguna Art Museum and the Newport Museum split in April 1997. The Laguna Art Museum can be found online at https://www.lagunaartmuseum.org/.

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Please send site suggestions to cutting.edge@latimes.com.