The Age of Cats review: How our furry friends evolved, and what’s next
3 May 2023
Domestic cats are a paradox, argues biologist Jonathan B. Losos in a book that delves into their origins and the emerging science of feline behaviour
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Premium
Surprising new research on cats will make you see yours in a new light
7 March 2023
Cats have a reputation for being aloof and untamed, but recent studies suggest they may be more attuned to humans than we realise. We may even have solved the mystery of why cats love boxes
Island-hopping cougars swim kilometres through icy water off US coast
23 February 2023
Researchers were surprised when a young male cougar living in Washington state swam to a nearby island. They now suspect other local cougars are doing the same
When cats chew catnip it releases mosquito-repelling chemicals
14 June 2022
When cats lick and chew catnip or silver vine plants, higher levels of insect-repelling iridoid chemicals are released
Why cat-like creatures vanished from North America for 6 million years
12 January 2022
Around 23 million years ago, North America's sabre-toothed cat-like animals disappeared, leaving the continent without felines for several million years. Now palaeontologists are solving the mystery of this "Cat Gap"
London cat 'serial killer' was just foxes, DNA analysis confirms
9 December 2021
The discovery of over 300 mutilated cat carcasses in Croydon led to media reports that a serial killer was roaming the streets, but now DNA analysis has confirmed that scavenging foxes were responsible
Cats can mentally map their owner’s location from voice alone
10 November 2021
In tests with hidden loudspeakers, cats show signs of being surprised when their owner’s voice seemed to quickly "teleport" from one side of a room to another
Grumpy and aggressive shelter cats become more friendly over time
2 November 2021
Some animals can develop problematic behaviours the longer they stay in an animal shelter, but cats tend to become friendlier and less aggressive
UK urban areas are home to 250,000 unowned cats
28 October 2021
It’s not easy to estimate the number of lost, abandoned or feral cats on UK streets, but with the help of citizen scientists we now have a figure
Cats refuse to snuggle with objects that smell like their owners
16 September 2021
Cats form strong bonds with their owners, but the scent of their human companions doesn’t comfort them when they’re left alone – and it could even make them howl more
