Dogs — And Cats

: A deepening human-animal bond is driving the "humanization" of pets, where they are treated as full family members.

Despite their close association today, the last common ancestor of dogs and cats lived approximately 42 million years ago. Dogs and cats

: Approximately 4.4 million pets enter U.S. shelters annually. As of 2025, there has been a slight 3% decrease in the number of pets successfully returned to their owners. : A deepening human-animal bond is driving the

as of early 2026. While often viewed as opposites, these species share a deep evolutionary and social history with humans, though their contemporary roles and needs differ significantly. shelters annually

: Dogs were domesticated roughly 40,000 years ago as hunting partners. Cats domesticated themselves approximately 12,000 years ago, following the rise of agriculture to hunt rodents in grain stores.