Animal Behaviour Research chatty theenie Education Research Human-Animal Interactions
Chronicles of Athena: Chatty Theenie
I’m training Athena how to use Augmented and Assisted Communication tools (talk buttons!) Want to know more?
Tea Break
Clever Cat
A friend recently asked me about their dog who was showing some unusual behaviour. The dog was suddenly acting fearfully around traffic, although there hadn’t been an obvious incident to spook him. I said “Sometimes clever animals get spooked by things just when they’re slightly ‘off’, they’re clever enough to Read more…
Fluffy Friday
Chronicles of Athena – Lockout 2016
There I was, happily trotting off to the cinema to see ‘Spotlight’, when I heard an almighty yowl behind me. Edinburgh tenements have a common stairwell, colloquially known as the ‘close’, with an exterior door at the bottom. I was at the bottom of my close, two neighbours had just Read more…
Fluffy Friday
Chronicles of Athena – One Year
This week Athena is one year old! We went from this … To this … The aging process is a strange thing, and something me and a colleague have been talking about lately. For Athena, there’s still a way to go. She still has a kitten’s energy, and still Read more…
Fluffy Friday
Chronicles of Athena – 52 Weeks
Athena is currently trying to climb the bookcase in order to then climb back down the rolled up rug that’s resting against it. The rolled up rug is hugely fascinating to Athena, as are all of the many, many toys that were liberated from beneath the sofa when the rug Read more…
Fluffy Friday
Chronicles of Athena – Fifty One Weeks
Let me tell you the story of Athena and the big storm. You see, on Wednesday night we had a big storm. The storm went on for hours, lots of bright, flashing lightning (Theenie loves lightning she has discovered), followed intermittently by rolling, deep thunder (Theenie . . . less Read more…
Fluffy Friday
Chronicles of Athena – Fifty Weeks
Last week, I was in Aberdeen for my sister’s graduation, which meant that Athena had to spend her first ever day away from me. My mum came over to stay at my flat while I was in Aberdeen, and was left with a long list of instructions about how to Read more…
Fluffy Friday
Chronicles of Athena – 47 Weeks
Things Athena truly, deeply believes: Jill has the power to summon fun creepy-crawleys. Sometimes, when Jill is so inclined, she will call my name and a bug will manifest at her fingertip. Sometimes I eat these bugs. Sometimes the bugs will escape and crawl over my lip. Sometimes I need Read more…
Fluffy Friday
Chronicles of Athena – 42 Weeks
Oh the freedom you feel on a Sunday when you also have the Monday off. I am going to live the life of a short girl on the internet and hem some cute dresses and fix a seam on a kimono I got from a vintage shop. It’s all going Read more…
Fluffy Friday
Chronicles of Athena – 41 Weeks
I’m the kind of person who likes rules (rules control the fun) so Athena should take it as a little victory that she broke me this week. You see, Athena is a fussy eater. Athena likes dry food, and treats. Athena will tolerate poultry based foods if it’s grilled and Read more…
