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Porcupines are largely known for one defining characteristic that tends to keep humans and predators at a safe distance. But while their famous quills are something to be feared, these animals as a whole are not. Indeed, like the neighbor or co-worker whose intimidating tattoos belie a sweet disposition, porcupines have proved to be compelling animals to watch and study for those who dare to get a closer look. Here are nine facts to further prick your interest in these delightfully bizarre rodents.

The Two Porcupine Families Are Not Closely Related

Porcupines are classified into one of two families. New World porcupines, which live in North, Central, and South America, are primarily arboreal herbivores. Old World porcupines, native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, are largely terrestrial and sometimes also consume meat. The two families have additional differences when it comes to physiological features such as quill density; Old World species showcase clusters of these stiff hairs, while their New World counterparts sport single quills interspersed with fur. Although the two families share a name and common characteristics, they are not considered to be closely related.

Only One New World Porcupine Species Lacks a Prehensile Tail

Most New World porcupines enjoy the benefits of a prehensile tail, which helps these tree-climbing mammals grip branches as they scamper above forest floors. The lone New World species forced to survive without such assistance is the common North American porcupine, which, as the largest and heaviest member of the family, probably could use the extra help for balance. The lack of a prehensile tail doesn’t dissuade them from climbing trees, although it does occasionally result in an unlucky creature taking a tumble. Fortunately, this species sports something of a natural antibiotic on its quills, which keeps infections at bay should the animal impale itself after a long fall.

Porcupines Cannot “Shoot” Their Quills

Some porcupine species boast up to 30,000 quills, which typically lie flat across most of the body but spring to attention when their owner feels threatened. Contrary to popular belief, porcupines cannot “shoot” their quills; they simply shed old ones, with new ones constantly growing at a rate of 1 millimeter every two days until fully developed. Although they’re not poisonous, the quills of New World porcupines are especially dangerous because of barbed tips that flare open amid the warmth and moisture of a wound.

Porcupines Face Their Greatest Predatory Threat From a Member of the Weasel Family

Although the porcupine boasts an intense defense against predators such as bears, wolves, lynx, and eagles, it tends to have its paws full when confronted by a fisher. A forest-dwelling member of the weasel family, the fisher is far more agile than the lumbering porcupine but about the same height; capable of dodging the swipe of a thorny tail, it moves fast enough to attack a porcupine’s face, and can upend its opponent to go after an unprotected belly. The fisher is also a skilled tree climber, and as such can either launch an airborne attack from a branch, or force its slow-footed prey to the disadvantageous terrain of the ground.

Porcupines Crave Salt

Visitors to porcupine-populated areas may be surprised to find the sides of a house or car damaged by bite marks. This is partly due to ever-growing porcupine incisors, which — like those belonging to all rodents — require constant nibbling for maintenance. However, porcupines in particular possess a dire need for salt following a winter of subsisting on low-nutrient bark and a spring spent chowing down on high-potassium leaves, grass, and flowers. That means they’ll gnaw not only on human sweat-stained tools like canoe handles, but also on house paneling treated with salt-infused paints and stains, as well as tires that bear traces of contact with winter road salt.

They Make Sounds Ranging From Shrieking to Mumbling

Visitors to porcupine-populated areas may be startled by the range of sounds emitted by these nocturnal animals, starting with the unsettling nighttime whining of an individual calling out to a mate. Porcupines also shriek when in distress, and will hiss or chatter their teeth when confronting danger. During calmer times, a mother may communicate with her baby by way of wailing and grunting, while companions exchange friendly clicking noises. Meanwhile, a solitary porcupine may simply mumble to itself as it ambles along.

Females Are Fertile for a Short Period of Time

Porcupine mating is a delicate process, and it’s not just because of the sharp quills in close proximity to nether regions. Fertile for only an eight-to-12-hour window, a female North American porcupine will mark her territory with urine and other secretions to arouse the interest of suitors, who then engage in often brutal battles for mating rights. After an alpha male has vanquished his rivals, he may still have to wait a few days for the opportunity to consummate their relationship. When the female finally signals her readiness, the male showers her with more urine before moving in for his long-awaited reward.

New World Species Usually Produce Just One Baby at a Time

Following a drawn-out courtship period and seven months of gestation, New World porcupines typically give birth to just one baby per year (Old Worlders may produce two to four per litter). Although prehensile species reveal no sexual dimorphism at a young age, prompting handlers to seek gender clarification from DNA testing, these porcupettes are otherwise built to quickly get up to speed. Born with their eyes open, babies experience the hardening of their soft quills within an hour, and are capable of supplementing mama’s milk with vegetation after two weeks. Fully weaned after three to four months, porcupines are ready to head into the wilderness on their own some six months after arriving in the world.

Porcupines Can Be Kept as Pets

In a world home to people who attempt to domesticate wildcats and giant snakes, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some adventurous owners also keep porcupines as pets. On the plus side, these animals are largely docile and subsist on easily acquired food. On the other hand, they can be expensive — one dealer sells individuals for as much as $3,000 — and they require at least 15 to 20 square feet of space in which to roam. But even people with the money and means to support these animals can be impeded by the long arm of the law, as several states have made porcupines illegal to own.

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Dogs and humans all over the world have been enjoying a mutually beneficial best friendship for perhaps tens of thousands of years. They’re the first animals we domesticated, and have been constant companions ever since. Sometimes dogs have a job they help us with, like sheep herding or duck hunting. But others are literally just here for the cuddles, and dog people are happy to oblige.

Even after all those years, we’re still learning about dogs, including more about how our unlikely animal friendship began. But plenty of dog questions have delightful answers — like whether they dream, how they learn their names, and why they slobber all over us. These seven dog facts will send you running to cuddle your closest very good boy (or girl).

How Did Dogs Evolve From Wolves?

Today’s domesticated dogs evolved from majestic, wild wolves, but looking at a tiny, trembling chihuahua, it can be hard to imagine how that even worked. It took a really long time, especially for breeds that seem very distant from their ancient grandparents.

Scientists still don’t know exactly how those first wolves befriended humans, but it appears to have happened at least 15,000 years ago. A study of ancient wolf genomes published in 2022 found that dogs may have been domesticated twice, once in Asia and once in the Middle East or nearby, with the populations subsequently intermingling. But the evidence is far from conclusive, and dogs may have been domesticated just once, in Asia, and then later bred with wolves that lived in or around the Middle East. Regardless, most scientists now agree that dogs evolved from gray wolves.

The exact mechanism is still unclear. Wolves, after all, are pretty dangerous, and scientists are still scratching their heads about what prompted humans to feel safe around them in the first place. Regardless, your people-pleasing golden retriever is a pretty far cry from its lupine ancestors. (Your shih tzu, on the other hand, might be closer than you think.)

Do Dogs Dream?

If you’ve spent a lot of time around dogs, you’ve probably seen them twitching or kicking in their sleep. It’s hard to know exactly what’s going on in a dog’s mind, but they do exhibit brain wave patterns much like we do when we’re in our most dream-heavy phase of sleep.

So what do dogs dream about? In one study, scientists removed or deactivated the part of the brain that keeps dogs from moving around in their sleep (yikes). These dogs started to move when they entered the dreaming stage of sleep, and began acting out their dreams, doing breed-specific behaviors. According to dog psychology researcher Stanley Coren, “What we’ve basically found is that dogs dream doggy things. So, pointers will point at dream birds, and Dobermans will chase dream burglars.” This indicates that dogs probably just dream about their everyday actions.

Why Are Some People Allergic to Dogs?

Around 10% to 20% of humans are allergic to cats or dogs. There’s a common misconception that people allergic to furry friends are allergic to the fur itself, but they’re actually allergic to proteins found in skin cells, saliva, and urine — so if you’re allergic to dogs, you might still be allergic to a hairless dog. When someone allergic to dogs is exposed to those proteins, as with other allergies, their immune system reacts as if the substances are harmful.

Some dogs are marketed as “hypoallergenic,” but there’s really no breed that’s guaranteed to not trigger allergies. It is possible, however, that someone can be more allergic to one dog than another. The best way to figure out whether you’re allergic to a specific dog is just to spend time around it, so starting out by fostering a pup before committing to a long-term companion might be the way to go.

How Do You Convert Human Years to Dog Years?

For decades, people have used the phrase “dog years” to compare stages in dogs’ lives to similar stages in human lives — such as whether they’re children, teens, adults, or seniors. There’s a common misconception that one human year is equivalent to about seven dog years, but it’s not all that simple.

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), a 1-year-old medium-sized dog is roughly equivalent to a 15-year-old human. The second year of that dog’s life is around nine human years, and after that, each year is about five years. This varies from dog to dog, though, especially since large dogs tend to age faster than smaller dogs. The AKC estimates that a smaller dog, like a Pomeranian, is around age 56 after 10 years, while a very large dog, like a Great Dane, would be more like 79.

Why Do Dogs Lick People?

Dogs licking people is often interpreted as a sign of affection, and it very well might be. Some wild dog species lick their pack members to welcome them home, and it can absolutely mean that your dog is happy to see you.

That’s not the only reason your dog might lick you, though. You could just taste really good, especially if you just finished a meal. It could also be a combination of the two: Licking may have started as a food-seeking behavior and evolved into a sign of affection. It could also be a sign of submission.

Obsessive licking, however, can be indicative of a larger problem like allergies, boredom, or pain — so if you’re worried about what it might mean, it’s worth a trip to the vet to check it out.

Can You Change a Rescue Dog’s Name?

So you’ve fallen in love with a rescue dog, but its name is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. You can’t exactly be expected to shout that across the dog park. Fortunately, it’s perfectly fine to change a dog’s name after adoption. In some cases, the dog got that name at the shelter and hasn’t even had it for very long — but you can change it even if the dog’s had the name for years.

If you do decide to change your new friend’s name, it just requires a little consistency and patience. You may have to use their old name a couple of times along the way, but with plenty of positive reinforcement, your dog should fully accept their new moniker. Don’t worry — they won’t be offended!

Can Dogs See Color?

Some dog senses are more amplified than those of humans. Most dogs can hear high-pitched frequencies that are completely silent to us, and with a sense of smell that may be up to 10,000 times more powerful than ours, they take in much more of the world via scent than sight. But how does their vision measure up?

While sight varies among both individual humans and dogs, a typical dog can see fewer colors than a typical human — but contrary to popular belief, they don’t see in black and white. They can also see yellows, blues, and combinations of the two. It’s similar to a human being who has red-green color blindness.

Dogs may still have one vision advantage over humans, though: Their eyes are better adapted to see in the dark.

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Politicians are often viewed as divisive figures, but over the years, there have been a few candidates who have garnered near-universal public support — and they tend to be furry. From mayorships to local council seats, a number of adorable animals have actually been elected to public government (although sometimes you may need to take that “elected” with a grain of salt). These cuddly creatures might be more concerned with napping and treats than taxes and potholes, but that doesn’t seem to deter the voters in these stories very much.

Stubbs the Cat (Mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska)

For over 18 years, the small town of Talkeetna, Alaska, was unofficially governed by Stubbs the Cat, a ginger-haired feline who first came to power in 1998. Though technically the town had no real mayor, meaning Stubbs was never officially elected, locals widely approved of his leadership, with one resident saying, “He hasn’t voted for anything I wouldn’t have voted for.” Stubbs’ “office” was located at the local general store, which was operated by the beloved cat’s owners. In 2014, Stubbs was apparently drafted to run for national office during the Alaska Senate elections, though that campaign fell short. Nonetheless, Stubbs continued his mayoral duties back home, which mainly included wandering around town and napping. He died peacefully in 2017 at the ripe old age of 20.

Clay Henry the Goat (Mayor of Lajitas, Texas)

Clay Henry was a goat who was elected mayor of the small town of Lajitas in 1986. He became immensely popular, although less for his political beliefs and more for his beer-drinking prowess, since tourists would come from far and wide to visit the goat’s pen and ply him with libations. Though Clay Henry Sr. tragically passed away in 1992, he was subsequently stuffed and put on display so visitors could pay homage to the once-great mayor. This was just the beginning of a Kennedy-like political dynasty, however, as his son Clay Henry Jr. assumed the mayorship shortly after, followed by Clay Henry III. The town is now led by current mayor Clay Henry IV, whose beer-drinking abilities are as renowned as his great-grandfather’s.

Max the Dog (Mayor of Idyllwild, California)

On July 1, 2012, a golden retriever named Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller (or Max I) was inaugurated into office as mayor of Idyllwild, California, after winning two-thirds of the vote in an election sponsored by the Idyllwild Animal Rescue Friends organization. In the days that followed, Max could often be seen about town wearing a plaid necktie and gold medal. At Mayor Max’s side were deputy mayors Mikey and Mitzi (also both dogs); as a group, they were collectively known as “the mayor and the spares.” Though Max I passed away in 2013, Mayor Max II assumed the role in the wake of his predecessor’s demise. The current mayor can be found on weekends traveling around town in the back of his official pickup truck and meeting with his constituents.

Boston Curtis the Mule (Committeeman in Milton, Washington)

Electing animals to office isn’t just a modern phenomenon. In 1938, Democratic Mayor Kenneth Simmons nominated a “Mr. Boston Curtis” for Republican precinct committeeman in the town of Milton, Washington. With no opponents and also no additional information provided to the voters, Curtis was elected with 51 votes — and then subsequently revealed to be a mule. The mayor, a Democrat, had sponsored Boston’s candidacy as a prank, which apparently had a message — he went on to say that voters “have no idea whom they support.”

Bosco the Dog (Mayor of Sunol, California)

Now immortalized in a life-sized statue unveiled in 2008, a black Lab and rottweiler mix named Bosco Ramos defeated two humans to become mayor of Sunol in 1981, holding the office until his death in 1994. Bosco was known as America’s first dog mayor, and became a symbol of democracy and freedom — in 1989, he participated in a 30-hour pro-democracy rally outside the Chinese consulate in San Francisco. Though Bosco ran as a “Re-pup-lican,” he was a nonpartisan force and brought the town’s residents together, often to rub his belly.

Jinx the Cat (Mayor of Hell, Michigan)

Jinx — a big-eyed black cat with a massive social media following on TikTok — became mayor of Hell, Michigan, for a single day in April 2022. The town has long offered humans the chance to become “Mayor of Hell,” but Jinx made history by becoming the first cat to hold said office. Jinx is perhaps the most popular of any of the animal candidates on this list, with over 735,000 followers on TikTok and 400,000 on Instagram at the time of writing — a support base that most politicians would love to achieve. Unfortunately, Jinx wasn’t mayor of Hell for long, as part of the agreement with the town includes being impeached at the end of the day.

Lincoln the Goat (Mayor of Fair Haven, Vermont)

Lincoln the goat’s inauguration as mayor of Fair Haven, Vermont, in 2019 was not without its problems. On the day she was to be sworn in, she refused to get in her cage to travel to town hall, and had to be coerced with dinner. Then there was the issue of paperwork, as Lincoln couldn’t sign the documents to make her mayorship official. Thankfully, the Fair Haven town clerk had an ingenious idea, and placed an ink pad and piece of paper on the ground for Lincoln to stomp on, thus making her new status official. Though Lincoln has since left office, the town’s line of animal mayors has continued. Elsa the goat was elected in 2022, winning a hard-fought election and defeating Maddie the dog (who finished second), and Colonel Kernal the chicken (who came in third).

Cacareco the Rhinoceros (São Paolo City Council)

The only animal on this list to be elected yet never hold office, Cacareco garnered a whopping 100,000 votes (15% of the total) in the São Paolo, Brazil, city council election of 1959. Cacareco — a resident of the São Paolo zoo — was entered into the race by a group of students who, along with the town’s general population, were dissatisfied with existing politicians. One voter famously claimed, “Better to elect a rhino than an ass.” Unfortunately, local officials invalidated the results and held another election the following week, despite all of Cacareco’s votes being legitimately cast. Cacareco’s legacy lived on, however — the phrase “Voto Cacareco” became a widespread term signifying a protest vote in future Brazilian elections, and the rhino also inspired the creation of the Rhinoceros Party of Canada, a political faction once “led” by Cornelius the First.