Animals Archives - the bird on fire

CUÁNTAS PATAS!!!

April 21, 2026 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Op-Ed Post: How do we really feel?

By 8th-Grade Blogger Jackie Pretorius

My dad needed an evil ploy to get us to learn some Spanish. He thought to himself what is the most awesomest thing in the whole wide world–so awesome in fact that his children wouldn’t mind speaking in a whole different language? Thus, Cuántas patas (how many paws) was born. Out of the blue, our dad will quiz us by asking cuántas patas? The thing that annoyed me most was that the answer was always cuatro (four). Cats have four paws, and that doesn’t change! It’s like that didn’t matter though. He would pretend we are in some sort of a gameshow and would be so enthusiastic whenever we got the answer right.

One Easter day we were doing our normal thing, finding eggs, and stuff. Usually we would have to complete a URL code that leads us to a video showcasing where we were going to travel next. In order to find the missing characters in the URL, we’d have to do a fun activity. I think you know where this is going. One by one he’d pick up our cats and shout cuántas patas in the most animated way possible, and when we answered “cuatro,” he would celebrate. I’d come to find this extremely annoying while Max (my brother) has embraced it and joined our dad’s side in trying to irritate me.

Also one of my games in Scratch (a simple kids block coding language), was having to take care of a cat by playing four different mini games. In one of these mini games, I made it so that the cat you were taking care of would quiz you with various questions about how many ears, eyes, and of course paws does a cat have in Spanish and later English. Best of all I showed it to our dad, and you can’t imagine how much he enjoyed it. A little inside joke he made has turned into so much more. Although I still find the cuántas patas game annoying, I’ve come to like it as it has brought us so many memories. And, now, you can embrace it and see how ridiculous but yet so wholesome cuántas patas came to be.

My Scratch game.

A Mark Meme

April 17, 2026 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Former and Now Returning Blogger Mark Huber

You might remember Mark’s illustrations, animations, movies, and stories from last spring semester when he was a Blog Staffer. Mark returns to us now in the last half of this spring semester. He brings with him his drawing and storytelling skills. He shares here a meme about the irony of enjoying the “fresh” outdoors. Enjoy.

The World’s Most Amazing Cats

January 22, 2026 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

With the new semester, we bring you new bloggers here at The Bird on Fire. For our first post of the semester, we introduce ourselves and share a passion or two. Here in January 2026, we’re interested in cats, video games, new year resolutions, musicals, and–how can we avoid it–the news cycle. — Advisor Zachik

By 8th-Grade Blogger Jacqueline Pretorius

My name is Jacqueline Pretorius, or Jackie for short. I’m in 8th grade, and this is going to be my first blog post. I chose to write about my three amazing cats. I’ve had more cats in my lifetime, but these are the ones that I have right now and am closest to.

All the way back in third grade I was practicing some spelling words with Grammy (my Grandma) and my online teacher, and one of the words just so happened to be kitties. Once I spelled “kitties” correctly, Grammy told me that we had two kitties in our dad’s bathroom. I remember being so excited that I jumped out of my chair and ran out of my room. I didn’t even say goodbye to my teacher. I needed to see the kitties now! I quickly told my brother Max about the news and continued going down the hall. We met up and saw our kitties for the very first time in their little cages.

We slowly introduced them to the house, and once they got to the living room, they were jumping around all over the place. It was so adorable. One cat we named Blitzen, after the reindeer. Blitzen for a while wouldn’t let me sleep since he kept on closing the door without realizing and then meowing afterwards. Eventually, after a couple sleepless nights we fixed the problem with a shoe blocking the door so that it couldn’t completely close. Then a while later Blitzen started making toilet paper art. I love him so much; he is more than just a friend to me. Every day after school he wants me to chase him down the hall for a scritching session. When I’m lying down on my bed he will sometimes go on top of me, put his paws on my neck, and start to purr. He has made it clear he has chosen me by meowing profusely when I’m at school or using the bathroom. The connection we built together is so indescribable. He has genuinely made me so happy that I can’t begin to imagine what life was like before we got him.

If I try to move Blitzen’s paw off my neck, he will nonchalantly put it back. This photo was taken when I was ten years old. Now I’m 14.

But overtime Blitzen became the only kitty in the house, and he was getting lonely when I wasn’t around, so in 7th grade we got two new kitties, their names being Frisky and Sunny. They came from the same litter, and they are both orange–although Sunny has lighter fur than Frisky. Sunny has chosen Max by always being with him, and whenever Max isn’t giving him enough attention Sunny will drag me along into his room. He also really likes these little alien toys for some reason, and he will run around to get them till we think it’s time to stop. He is cute, but also very manipulative when it comes to treats. Whenever we are in the kitchen he will meow or sometimes he will lead us to the cat treats.

Sunny comes to my room and meows, then goes to the cat tower and constantly looks back to see if I’m still there, and once there he will show me his furry tummy.

Frisky on the other hand helps Dad (a tele-radiologist) with the cat scans on his desk, occasionally turning off his computer monitor. Frisky has this specific spot that he leads me to so that he can be scritched. He is very playful since whenever you pet him he will try to bite and paw you, but it’s in a friendly way since he purrs throughout. Every night before bedtime we play with the kitties in my room, but Frisky has been too shy to go in. Last Christmas however we got a laser pointer, and he seems to really enjoy it so much so that his fear of going into my room when it’s play time has been conquered as he would not let the laser pointer get away that easily.

Frisky V.S Laser*

*(Above is a link to a Frisky Video: Just look at his head moving in sync with the laser. So cute! Also please don’t shine the laser pointer on your cat like I did accidentally as you can hurt them if it’s shined on their eye. Luckily he is okay!)

All the cats have similarities–like using the chairs as their scratching post, even when there is an actual scratching post, as well as re-purposing random objects as things to paw even when there are cat toys just for that. Speaking of which, let’s hear their thoughts on these matters.

Interviewing my cats

I understand if at first cats seem to not be that energetic, keep more to themselves, claw the furniture, and sometimes toilet paper, but it’s the bond you have with them that really counts.

How Pets Affect Your Mental Health

October 9, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Middle-School Blogger Sarah Alnabelsi

Think of your favorite furry, scaly, or feathered friend. What seems so small actually means more to you than you think. A UC Davis Health article points out several mental health benefits that stem from pets: they “help reduce stress and anxiety, ease feelings of loneliness, provide unconditional love and support, create a calming presence, give a sense of purpose for pet parents.” In the moment, your best friend might be perceived as just a playmate–just a pet you have to feed and play with; in reality, they mean a lot more. They contribute to your mental health.

Animals and your mental wellness–this is what I found out:

The effects of pets on mental health–

They decrease your stress and anxiety.

The American Psychology Association says that in 2024, 70% of teens faced anxiety and depression in the US. That’s a high percentage, especially among teenagers and young adults. With a pet’s companionship and reassurance, you can feel happier, and therefore less anxious. For example, you feel better when your cat purrs. Inspira Health Network says that just listening to a purring cat can lower your blood pressure. It releases oxytocin, a hormone that promotes happiness and reduces stress (inspirahealthnetwork.org). The same happens when we see our dogs wagging their tails. This also releases oxytocin, which in turn makes you happier.

Your pet makes you feel less lonely.

Loneliness is something usually everyone will experience in their lifetime–whether it’s from lost friendships, being alone, or a move to a new place. Loneliness has become so normalized, but pets can alleviate this feeling. In a study conducted by Mental Health America, 85% of people questioned in a national survey agree that pets can reduce loneliness. With pets, people feel more connected and supported; therefore, they feel less lonely.

Pets bring love and support.

Having a companion that supports you no matter what is something that everybody should have. You can’t get into arguments with pets, which is something that makes them so much greater. Given you treat them with respect, they will always love you the same. My cat Papaya has her highs and lows. However, even when I leave her home all alone, she’s always happy to see me coming back from school. Leaving might be perceived as betrayal, yet my cat responds to me with nothing but unconditional love.

Sarah posed Papaya for a photo shoot for The Bird on Fire. Papaya came into Sarah’s life three months ago. While Papaya lives with the whole Alnabelsi family, Sarah says Papaya is closest to her.

Pets create a calming presence.

While pets have their burst of energy or periods of time where you can’t seem to catch a break from their zoomies, a big percentage of the time they are either sleeping or not doing anything at all. With their calm presence, with them sitting or lying beside you, you are more eased and relaxed. For instance, think of coming back home from a long day of school. You’d want something calm to relax beside when you get home, and your pet does exactly that.

Animals give pet parents a purpose.

Having pets requires lots of care and attention. Some might think that this much work is bad; however, having a sense of purpose is something that helps people immensely when it comes to mental health. The American Psychiatric Association says that people with a great purpose in life were facing less stress. Having this feeling that someone–your pet–relies on you, provides a reason for someone to get up, even when they don’t want to. Knowing that your pet needs you for food, water, basically to live, is something that people find very helpful for their mental stability, physical agility, and emotional engagement.

While it’s true that their time with us is limited, the impact they have on you is more impactful than the inevitable loss–which is true for most relationships. You might have not even known it, but your pet’s influence on your life is something that can brighten up your day, or for others might even be their will to live.

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”
Anatole France

Sources:

How to Become The Alpha 101

September 16, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org 7 Comments

The Bird on Fire blog staff voted to explore Power and Leadership as their second theme. Soleil and Sarah took a balanced, high-road approach. Now, it’s time for darker, more scheming, . . . more Machiavellian perspectives.

By Middle-School Alpha, Morgan Richardson

Alphas get a bad rap. But, somebody has to lead the way. There are alphas all throughout the natural world and in just about every group gathering. This is my step-by-step guide to becoming the infamous alpha. As an experienced alpha, I know the craft well. I’ve practiced on friends, family members, classmates, dogs and cats. I believe that everyone should be able to lead when called upon to be The Alpha.

Step One: Bark or meow to allow other species to know you’re the Alpha. You need to assert dominance loudly.

Step Two: After you’ve claimed your domain, deliver a continued sassy attitude to let others know you are the one-and-only Alpha and you’re here to stay. For instance, you could meddle with the property of those you want to dominate: rip their pencils in half, and “acquire” their lip tints. Another option, laugh at side characters incessantly until they run away.

Step Three: Optional, but you can urinate on the floor to let people know you own this realm. It works with dogs and cats and some say jellyfish.

Step Four: Never act scared around bigger alphas, even when you’re cornered. Always make sure you don’t appear inferior. Puff yourself out; wear claws; wear your attitude BIG.

Step Five: Call people out on little things–like them stealing your favorite chew toy . . . or best friend.

Step Six: When necessary, don’t be afraid to lie.

Step Seven: Drop throwaway ambiguous lines to keep the less dominant on their toes. Saying “six seven” can mean various things, but since it’s nonsensical, it mostly shows power and dominance and sometimes produces advantageous confusion.

Step Eight: If necessary, step outside your kindness; for example, you can become like Bluey or Peppa Pig. Peppa Pig is mean to her friend Suzy Sheep; Bluey is a dog (and dogs are always alpha), and she is a sassy big sister.

Step Nine: Ignore people; especially side submissive characters. Side characters are irrelevant compared to you. Do we mourn the Star Trek “away teams” we know little about when they’re lost in space? No. Who was King Henry VIII’s brother? We don’t care. Who dated Travis Kelce in high school? Whatever.

Step Ten: Start your villain arc: throw trashcans; wear a shock collar (‘cause shocks intimidatingly don’t faze you); start wearing a black cape. Consider joining Nevan’s Villain Club on campus.

Note: thebirdonfire.org does not support the throwing of trashcans. Morgan’s on her own here.

Step Eleven: Remember: You are the main character and the alpha; if this guide does not work, bark until people listen.

Step Twelve: I am the Lorax, Guardian of the Forest, and I say, in the words of The Lorax movie, “LET IT GROW LET IT GROW you can’t reap what you don’t sow plant [The Alpha] seed . . . I say LET IT GROWWWW.”

Source: The Lorax (film) song:chrome-extension://ehnniokiiebpinnfegpkdlcamgdcaaje/block_screen.html?id=ad1169d5-65a7-4a4c-bb32-89c058fcc547

The Power Of Pee

August 26, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By 8th-Grade Blogger Morgan Richardson

Morgan’s not just click-baiting you here. Think of elephants traversing the open savannah . . . pooping.

In those droppings are seeds and nutrients. The elephants are literally dropping the seeds of growth in that habitat. Well, Morgan looks to the effects of animal urine, on sea and on land.

“Animals have the power to destroy our earth, or preserve its beauty.”

–Morgan Richardson

Most people couldn’t imagine the wonders urine does for our world.

Elephants have huge bladders that can hold 18 liters of urine (livescience.com). Weirdly, it’s not the elephants that pee the most. Blue whales and fin whales pee 260 gallons a day (nationalgeographic.com). Whales are one of the world’s greatest animals that do wonders for our planet using their urine. Whale pee is healing our oceans. The nutrients inside whale urine help shallow waters become healthy. Whales transport nitrogen and phosphorus from their pee; it helps areas that lack those chemicals become healthier by creating phytoplankton growth. Without whale pee, many marine species wouldn’t exist.

While some animals protect our planet with their pee, others don’t. Cows produce the most polluting pee of all. Their farts, burps, and urine all contain methane. Methane is 25 times more damaging to the planet than CO2 (epa.gov). 1.5 billion cows pollute our earth with nitrous oxide emissions and water pollution (m.farms.com). Though it may feel like there is no solution to this problem of too much methane, others find a way. A herd of cattle in Germany was potty trained to lessen greenhouse gasses. They were only allowed to urinate in one designated area (bbc.com). This experiment lessened ammonia emissions and the unlikely event of water contamination, while also enabling easier collection and treatment of the urine for potential use as fertilizer. If we keep trying to save our planet from these toxic gases we may create a healthier planet Earth.

Urine has a huge impact on our world. It acts as a natural fertilizer to plants and the ocean, but can also leave us with pollution which can damage nature globally. Animals play a key role in saving the planet, and destroying it.

The Favorite Things Museum

April 17, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Blog Staff has set out to log some of Palm Valley School’s favorite things. It’s what we talk about, think about, dream of, hoard, share, give to one another. 6th-grade Mark shares here his favorite things.

A Google Drawing created by Middle-School Blogger Mark Huber

In the parallel universe of pigs, there is a house that belongs to the pig version of Mark Huber. You’ll see that Pig Mark has created an addition to his house, and that addition is a relatively small museum of all of Mark’s favorite things. The Google Drawing below is a picture of Pig Mark and his brother, Pig David, in the museum studying the things in it.

The paint bucket and paintbrush representing the color green were copied from a Google Slides presentation that thanked Human Mark’s dad for bringing his Chromebook to school when he had forgotten it at home. The two pigs studying the things in the museum, Pig Mark (left) and Pig David (right) are the two main characters in any fictional story Human Mark writes, Pig Mark being the mainest character of the two.

How to Create a Better Relationship with your Cat and Dog

January 30, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By 6th-Grade Bloggers Lina Kakoussian and Greenlee Bartley

You might be wondering, how can I make a better relationship with my dog or cat? If you ever asked yourself that, then you are at the perfect place. We will inform you about some things that dogs and cats love and enjoy so that they will love you even more!

How to make a better relationship with your cat

I own a cat named Archie, who is a little boy who can be sleepy and hyper in the same hour. I have a great relationship with my cat, especially because I have always wanted one! Something that cats love are soft surfaces like blankets, beds, and sofas. So, if you want your cat to have a comfortable place to sleep, give them a soft bed. A lot of the time they like to sleep on your bed because they feel secure when they are around you and they know someone is with them. Cats love to be scratched under their chin. You can tell if they like the chin scratching if they close their eyes and lie down while they get petted. Make sure to teach your cat the sound of their treat bag if you want them to come to you. They will know that you are the person that gives them treats, and they will like that. They also love to be in a place where they feel covered up, like a tiny fort with a blanket on them. – Lina

Archie was three months old when this photo was taken. He is a Domestic Longhair Mix.

How to make a better relationship with your dog

I have a cute big dog named Remy. I love my dog because I have known her since I was three. Over that time period I have figured out some things that all dogs love! The first step you have to do to create a better relationship with your dog is you have to know how to pet them. If you don’t pet them correctly, they might get mad and walk away. One way you can pet your dog that many dogs enjoy is being pet on their ears and their chin–just like cats! You can tell if they like the spot you are petting them in if they start to lie down, put their paw on you, or become more comfortable. Dogs and cats are very similar! The only difference about them is that some dogs can be very big in size. Dogs also love treats and food. Most dogs know the sound of the treat bag, so if you don’t want your dog to run over to you then be careful shaking the treat bag! Also, make sure they feel safe and comfortable. To do that you can get them a bed, or let them sleep on your bed–like my dog! – Greenlee

Remy is a puppy in this picture. Now, she’s nine. Remy is a Boxer.

We hope that this information helps you and your pets’ relationship. Make sure to tell all your friends and family with dogs and cats to check our post out. Thank you!

Dear Marley…again

March 1, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

This is Marley.

You can catch Marley most days in front of the Upper-School dropping off and picking up Jess.

Marley lives with senior Jess Billimore and her family. And, while Marley loves Jess and family best, she graciously embraces the whole Palm Valley community (when the mood strikes her). Marley is here, today, once again, to answer your questions and offer you some of her wisdom.

Audrey Guess – Marley, can you help me with my math homework please?

Hi Audrey! I wish I could, but I don’t want to.

Landon Elder – Can you do a double backflip?

I can sit (on my own terms), and I can also roll over, which is pretty close. Can you do a double backflip, Landon?

Gil Maruvada – If you had one wish, what would it be?

Hi Gil. My wish would be for a sister because Jess really wants another dog, and I think a sister would be cool.

Mr. Jowett – How can I maintain inner peace?

Hi, Mr. Jowett! I love this question. My best tip would be not to place so much value on what others think of you. For example, people always think I’m an annoying chihuahua, but I know that isn’t true, so I don’t let it bother me!

Ms. Zachik – In the morning, when I’m trying to get to school, how much time should I dedicate to my dog Charlotte who really wants to play.

Hi, Ms Zachik. I think you should take her to school with you and let her play all day long!

Tori the Barista – Who is your favorite barista here at the Vintage Coffee House?

Hi, Tori! I love you all equally, but I think I am the best barista! Everyone should go to the Vintage Coffee House. It’s my favorite place because I get to see all my friends and they have dog treats!

That’s it for today, guys! I hope everyone enjoyed the chit chat. Do you have any questions for Marley? Contact Marley through thebirdonfire.org or through Jess.

My Favorite Dog Breeds and Why They Might Be Good For You

January 17, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org 5 Comments

Louisa is Ziggy’s very first dog sitter.

By Freshman Louisa Richardson

One New Year’s resolution easy to keep would be spending more time with my dog this year. Louisa is a dog lover as well, even something of a professional in the world of dogs. Are you looking to bring a dog into the family this year? Louisa’s got some match-making tips.

As some of you readers may know already, I have been dog walking and sitting for the last few years, and it’s been going great! I met a whole lot of wonderful people, and even better dogs, plus a few kids. Although I always say that I love all the dogs that I walk equally, I do have a lot of dog breeds that make my experience with pups more enjoyable. Perhaps I do have a favorite dog, but you will have to stick around until the end to find out which dog wins my heart. Over the years, I have developed a love for five dog breeds due to the wonderful experiences I have had walking them. If you are looking to adopt a dog (as everyone should), I have many recommendations–so many in fact, that I had to narrow it down to five. So here it is, my top five dog breeds, and why they might be good for you.

Golden Retriever

These dogs are friendly, funny, and great family dogs! I have met my fair share of dogs, but my favorites have always been Goldens because they are great to play fetch with; they are great with other dogs, and great with kids of all ages. The Golden Retrievers that I walk are usually very perky and excited to see me. When they get home, they usually want to play more, which is one of the only downsides–they are impossible to wear out. As puppies, they are either the sleepiest or the most energetic dogs. This means that they are great for families! Having a couple kids to wear out a puppy, or vice versa can be a blessing. Goldens are very cuddly dogs, and they live a decently long time–about 12 years. Note: they are prone to hip problems in old age. I love Golden Retrievers, and I think you should, too.

Lab

My grandmother had a variety of Labs and loved all of them. She still has pictures of them up all over her house. Though I only met two of them (one of which I don’t remember), I do know that they were very good dogs. Labs tend to be a bit more laid back then Golden Retrievers but still have the old-age hip problems. Labs have always been one of my favorite dog breeds because of the good memories I have with them, but even now when I dog-sit one, they are always good dogs. They are great for families (for the same reason as Goldens), but they are also very good guard dogs. Labs make for amazing hiking buddies, too. Labs also come in a variety of colors (black, brown, yellow, and white), which makes them very cute colorful floof balls.

April the Lab was Louisa’s grandmother’s dog for 13 years.

Labradoodle

I love Labradoodles. I have one, and dog-sit for multiple. I love the way they look (if they’re not cut like poodles). I love their personality. And, I like that they require a good amount of exercise. Walking them is easy because they are very flexible in their adaptability. I walk my dog anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half. She is always happy to walk, just hard to harness. The Doodles that I have walked and sat for are all very good. They are pretty easy to get to know, and although a little hostile at first, they become your best friend within a few minutes (this means they aren’t so great as guard dogs). For the most part, they have great personalities. They are very intelligent and cuddly dogs. The only big downside is that they love to counter-surf. For those of you who don’t know what that means, I will give a brief example. Labradoodles are tall dogs. I cannot leave anything on the counter or table without it being gone within seconds. It doesn’t matter the type of Doodle, they are ALL like this. It can be a great reminder to wash the dishes, or clean up after yourself. To others, counter-surf-ing can be a total deal breaker.

Husky

Huskies are some of the cutest, most annoying dogs ever. They really like to erm… vocalize their opinions on the most random things outside. Despite this, they are great dogs. They shed a lot, but they are super fluffy. They require a lot of exercise, so it can get you out of the house. Though some people view a lot of exercise as a bad thing, I think that says more about you than your dog. They are great farm dogs, family dogs, and guard dogs. They require a lot of exercise and love, but so do most other dogs. Huskies are great dogs for kids as they love to play and love, but are still kid friendly. Huskies have a really bad reputation as being loud and obnoxious, but under all that they are such good pups, and I really love them. I have never met a bad Husky.

Australian Shepard

I have a lot of experience with Australian Shepherds, and they are amazing dogs. They are super cute, good with other dogs, and good with (most) humans. They do have a pretty big downside though. They are big herding dogs. If you are running with one, or if they are playing with other dogs, chances are they will start barking and trying to herd you in a particular direction. You can’t blame them; it’s in their DNA. This can be hard to deal with if you have kids constantly running around the house. Of course the dogs will never hurt you, or at least they haven’t in MY EXPERIENCE. But it can be a pretty big hassle telling your kids not to run around because they’ll upset the dog. Are Australian Shepherds good family dogs? Sometimes. Are they good farm dogs? Always. They are also the cutest dogs in the world, but require a decent amount of exercise. If you like exercise, they’re a good fit for you. They are decently good guard dogs, too. I love Australian Shepherds and walk one quite frequently. (He is my favorite).

Of course the breed of dog doesn’t always reflect an individual dog’s personality (unless it’s a Chihuahua). But, I’ve found that usually the dog’s looks and personality are reflected well in the breed itself.