Cats News

January 26, 2025

Top Headlines

Toxoplasma Gondii Parasite Uses Unconventional Method to Make Proteins for Evasion of Drug Treatment

Dec. 9, 2024 — A study sheds new light on how Toxoplasma gondii parasites make the proteins they need to enter a dormant stage that allows them to escape drug ...

Early North Americans Made Needles from Fur-Bearers

Nov. 27, 2024 — Paleoindians at Wyoming's LaPrele mammoth site made needles from the bones of fur-bearers, likely to creat garments from the animals' furs to keep warm in a cool ...

Great Apes Visually Track Subject-Object Relationships Like Humans Do, Study Finds

Nov. 26, 2024 — Great apes track events with their eyes in the same way that humans do, according to a new ...

Mountain Lions Coexist With Outdoor Recreationists by Taking the Night Shift

Nov. 15, 2024 — Mountain lions in greater Los Angeles are proactively shifting their activity to avoid interacting with cyclists, hikers, joggers and other recreationists, finds a new ...

Latest Headlines

updated 11:14pm EST

Uganda: Major Survey Brings New Light to Carnivore Conservation

Dec. 3, 2024 — Lion numbers in the country are at a critical low while hyenas are faring well across four major protected areas in Uganda, according to new survey ...

Why Langurs Drink Salt Water

Oct. 28, 2024 — A new study shows the remarkable adaptability of the critically endangered Cat Ba langurs. Despite low genetic diversity, the langurs have retained key genetic traits that help them survive in their ...

Rangers Lead Ground-Breaking Effort to Monitor Uganda's Lion Population in Critical Stronghold

Oct. 15, 2024 — New study highlights the vital role of wildlife rangers in lion conservation and identifies Uganda's Nile Delta as a key area for ...

Recording the Cats in the Hats

Sep. 26, 2024 — Researchers have found a way to scan the brains of cats while they're awake, using electrodes concealed under specially knitted wool ...

Kidney Disease in Cats: High-Quality Feline iPSCs Generated Without Genetic Footprint

Sep. 4, 2024 — High-quality feline induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have now been generated. The feline iPSCs are also footprint- and feeder-free. Further ...

'Silent' Mutations Found to Have Repercussions Beyond Their Own Gene

Aug. 28, 2024 — Researchers are adding new evidence to the emerging concept that 'silent' or synonymous mutations may have crucial consequences. Their study showed how a synonymous mutation in one gene can ...

What Fat Cats on a Diet May Tell Us About Obesity in Humans

July 17, 2024 — Pet cats may be excellent animal models for the study of obesity origins and treatment in humans, a new study of feline gut microbes suggests -- and both species would likely get healthier in the ...

A New Addition to the CRISPR Toolbox: Teaching the Gene Scissors to Detect RNA

July 16, 2024 — CRISPR-Cas systems, defense systems in bacteria, have become a plentiful source of technologies for molecular diagnostics. Researchers have now ...

Urban Seagulls Still Prefer Seafood

July 11, 2024 — Seagull chicks raised on an 'urban' diet still prefer ...

Lion With Nine Lives Breaks Record With Longest Swim in Predator-Infested Waters

July 10, 2024 — A record-breaking swim by two lion brothers across a predator-infested African river has been documented in a new study. The researchers say the 1km ...

Power of Aesthetic Species on Social Media Boosts Wildlife Conservation Efforts, Say Experts

Nov. 8, 2024 — Facebook and Instagram can boost wildlife conservation efforts through public awareness and engagement, according to a new ...

Both Cats and Dogs Often Enjoy Playing Fetch With Their Owners

Sep. 4, 2024 — Although more common in dogs, 4 in 10 pet cats also choose to play fetch with their owners, researchers ...

Improving Cat Food Flavors With the Help of Feline Taste-Testers

Aug. 2, 2024 — Cats are notoriously picky eaters. But what if we could design their foods around flavors that they're scientifically proven to enjoy? Researchers used a panel of feline taste-testers to ...

Researchers Discover 'Trojan Horse' Virus Hiding in Human Parasite

May 31, 2024 — An international team has found a new RNA virus that they believe is hitching a ride with a common human parasite. The virus is associated with severe inflammation in humans infected with the ...

'Ugly' Fossil Places Extinct Saber-Toothed Cat on Texas Coast

May 30, 2024 — This fossil looks like a lumpy, rounded rock with a couple of exposed teeth that are a little worse for wear, having been submerged and tumbled along the floor of the Gulf of Mexico for thousands of ...

Genes Provide Hope for the Survival of Arabia's Last Big Cat

May 20, 2024 — The release of captive bred animals carefully selected for their genes can make a significant contribution to the successful recovery of the dwindling wild population and avert the prospect of ...

How Did Sabre-Toothed Tigers Acquire Their Long Upper Canine Teeth?

May 16, 2024 — In a groundbreaking study an international team of scientists has investigated the evolutionary patterns behind the development of sabre teeth, with some unexpected results along the ...

Cats Purrfectly Demonstrate What It Takes to Trust Robots

May 13, 2024 — Would you trust a robot to look after your cat? New research suggests it takes more than a carefully designed robot to care for your cat, the environment in which they operate is also vital, as well ...

The Double-Fanged Adolescence of Saber-Toothed Cats

Apr. 29, 2024 — How did North America's saber-toothed cats hunt without breaking their unwieldy saber-like canines, which are vulnerable to sideways bending stresses? A paleontologist provides mechanical ...

Dog Attacks on Mountain Tapirs Highlight a Growing Threat to Endangered Wildlife

Apr. 17, 2024 — Researchers who captured footage of dog attacks on endangered mountain tapirs in Colombia are calling for action to protect threatened ...

Canada Lynx Historic Range in US Likely Wider Than Previously Thought

Apr. 1, 2024 — A broader past could mean a brighter future for Canada lynx in the U.S., according to recent research. The study indicates that lynx might do well in the future in parts of Utah, central Idaho and ...

Meow or Rooaaar: Exotic Cats' Ability to Recognize Familiar Caregivers' Voices

Feb. 15, 2024 — Biologists present compelling evidence that exotic cats possess the remarkable ability to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar human ...

A Tiny Tattoo for a Tabby

Jan. 11, 2024 — Researchers have developed an alternative labeling method called 'bio-tagging', which is a microneedle array system that can safely deliver ink in the form of unique number or letter ...

Strong Connections Found Between Vaccine Hesitancy and Support for Vaccinating Pets

Dec. 22, 2023 — Study findings raise the stakes for public health efforts to improve attitudes about vaccination rates across the ...

Scientist Discovers Potential Brain Link Between Stress, Emotional Eating

Nov. 27, 2023 — Scientists describe how they identified a molecule that may trigger over-consumption of comfort foods after a threatening ...

More Than Meows: How Bacteria Help Cats Communicate

Nov. 16, 2023 — Many mammals, from domestic cats and dogs to giant pandas, use scent to communicate with each other. A new study shows how domestic cats send signals to each other using odors derived from families ...

Infection With Common Cat-Borne Parasite Associated With Frailty in Older Adults

Nov. 7, 2023 — A new study of 601 older adults found that those with higher serointensity -- or a higher concentration of antibiodies -- to the cat-borne parasite Toxoplasma gondii are more likely to show signs of ...

City and Highway Lights Threaten Mountain Lion Habitats

Nov. 6, 2023 — Artificial light pollution at night threatens mountain lion habitat, making it a factor to consider for wildlife crossings and land use, finds a new ...

New Secrets About Cat Evolution Revealed

Nov. 2, 2023 — By comparing genomes of several cat species, the project has helped researchers understand why cat genomes tend to have fewer complex genetic variations (such as rearrangements of DNA segments) than ...

What Happens When Cats Get Fat? Scientists Weigh in

Nov. 1, 2023 — Cat owners want Kitty to be happy, but providing an abundance of food and snacks can have unintended consequences. Feline obesity is on the rise, impacting the health, longevity, and wellbeing of ...