Ages & stages · calculator
How old is my cat in human years?
Age one is about 15; age ten is about 56. Put the number into the kitten, young adult, mature, and senior stages.
Try the cat age calculator →Field Notes · behavior, age & pet technology
Pet behavior & smart pet technology
guides.
How old is a one-year-old dog? Why does a cat knead? Is that tiny sleeping paw dreaming? Start with a delightful question, then keep going with clear answers, honest limits, and useful little tools.
Media note: Field Notes illustrations are creative visuals—not photographs of real customers, product tests, homes, locations or observed animal behavior, and not factual evidence.
Featured · includes a calculator
How old is my dog in human years?
Forget “multiply by seven.” Use adult size and actual age for a better estimate, then see what the number can—and cannot—tell you.
Try the dog age calculatorThe new curious series
Begin with a “why?”
Each note gives a direct answer, keeps the uncertainty that matters, and ends with something useful in a real home.
Dog behavior · a small science story
Why does my dog tilt their head?
They may be processing a meaningful sound, adjusting hearing or vision, or repeating a move that reliably earns attention.
See what the study found →
Cat behavior · making biscuits
Why do cats knead?
The motion begins in kittenhood and may become part of comfort, settling to sleep, scent marking, and close interaction.
Meet the four-pawed baker →
Sleep · REM & tiny twitches
Do dogs and cats dream?
Very likely. Learn what REM sleep tells us, what small movements often mean, and which signs should not be dismissed as dreaming.
Read the quiet sleep note →
Dog behavior · attachment & routine
Why does my dog follow me everywhere?
Closeness, routine, rewards, and distress can all lead to following. A simple room-exit check helps show whether your dog settles easily.
Read the little shadow →
Cat sounds · not only happiness
Why do cats purr?
Purring can appear with comfort, requests, stress, or pain. The sound is not an emotion label; body and context complete the picture.
Read the context around the purr →
Dog bedtime · comfort & habit
Why do dogs circle before lying down?
Preparing a resting spot and habit are plausible. The useful distinction is between a brief ritual and repeated, difficult, or painful circling.
Follow the bedtime circle →
Cat environment · simple shelter
Why do cats like boxes?
Cover, boundaries, scent, and choice can all make a box appealing. See what shelter studies found and how to set one up safely.
Unbox the answer →
Dog behavior · taste & attention
Why does my dog lick me?
It may be social contact, skin taste, a request, or a learned habit. A four-part log is more useful than one “dog kiss” answer.
Read the lick in context →
Cat sounds · window watching
Why do cats chirp at birds?
The sound accompanies intense predatory interest, but sound alone cannot separate excitement, frustration, or another state.
Listen to the window chatter →Go a little deeper
Behavior, emotion & technology guides
Read dog behavior in full contextPosture, movement, triggers, and change from the dog’s own baseline.↗
Observe before labeling cat emotionGive space, describe what happened, and notice sustained change.↗
How to evaluate pet technologySeparate direct measurement from inference, then check privacy, battery, and real availability.↗