News of Sorrel’s recovery spread. Soon, The Listening Post became a referral center for puzzling cases: a parrot who plucked his feathers because his owner changed the color of the living room walls (birds see UV light, and the new paint reflected a “predator spectrum”); a horse who refused to canter because the farrier had subtly changed the angle of his left front shoe (asymmetry that only showed up on pressure-mapping sensors); a rescued fighting rooster who attacked shadows—until Elara realized he had post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by the flicker of ceiling fans (which mimicked the wing-flares of rivals).

A house-trained dog or cat that begins urinating indoors may not be acting out. They often suffer from urinary tract infections (UTIs), bladder stones, diabetes, or age-related cognitive decline.

One autumn morning, a frantic sheep farmer named Iain burst through the door, carrying a trembling lamb. “She won’t eat,” he said. “She’s losing weight. Her blood tests are normal, but she acts like the world is ending.”