Over here at the LRB we know that you were promised a handful of special pet-related episodes of TBTL last week. We also know that these promises were poorly fulfilled, as our TBTL friendos proved once again that following a show sheet is not one of their stronger skills. Luckily, your LRB hosts can fill that gap, bringing more pet-related content than all three of TBTL’s Pet-agogy episodes combined (not that it was difficult). Mike is contemplating hair-of-the-dogging-it while his fingers are being decimated (literally) by cat attacks. Ann tells the tale of her self-mutilating hamster before she throws her newly-replaced phone over another mind-boggling Burbank statement. Meredith reflects on the civility of the mosh pit and how her dad got a bad case of prairie dog plague. Also on today’s agenda: secret therapy whispers, the Shaggy Defense, karaoke trapdoors, the problem with fake meat, White Guy Confidant Syndrome, the zucchini measure of friendship, and much more.