Cats, once again, fail to contrafreeload
What is contrafreeloading? In the 1960s scientists discovered that laboratory rats liked to work for food. Rather than eat food from a bowl, rats chose to press a lever that…
Is your cat’s butt touching everything in your house? This young scientist tried to find out
Last week, a story about Kaeden, who did his school science project on whether cat butts touch the surfaces of your home, showed up in my Facebook feed. I was…
Should Persian cats be extreme?
New research looks at what’s really going on with their faces. Although cats have lived with humans for thousands of years now, it hasn’t been until the last 150 years…
Can you convince cats to stop hunting? A new study finds that food and play might help.
What gets cats to bring less prey home. Cats. Born to be wild, obligate carnivores and relentless predators. Folks who allow their cats outdoor access often complain about their cats’…
What’s the point of the “catnip response”?
New research suggests it helps protect cats from mosquitos! Cats who respond to olfactory stimulation via plants (e.g., catnip, silver vine) often show a classic response that usually consists of…
Cat facial expressions are affected by breed: Why there are implications for cat welfare
People often describe cats as a bit inscrutable and hard to read; in part, this is because cats have fewer facial muscles and fewer facial expressions. The expressions they do…