Cats

Will your pet be the star of the show?

Quarantine Cat Film Fest Will Raise Funds for Independent Theaters Closed by COVID-19

The quarantined felines of the world are coming for your screens

Nadia and her sister Azul as cubs at the Bronx Zoo in 2016. Both tigers showed symptoms of COVID-19, and Nadia tested positive for the virus.

A Tiger in the Bronx Zoo Tested Positive for COVID-19

Nadia, a four-year-old Malayan tiger, is the first known animal to test positive for coronavirus in the United States

About 6% of mountain lion deaths between 2005 and 2014 were due to the plague, according to new research.

The Plague Has Been Quietly Killing Yellowstone Cougars for a Decade

Researchers found that almost half of the mountain lions they tested showed signs of plague infection

Archival image, July 9, 1973: (Original caption) A woman seems hesitant about buying fish at a shop in Tokyo recently (June 25) after the Japanese Health and Welfare Ministry's June 24th warning that no one should eat more than 567 grams (about one pound four ounces) of fish a week to avoid the possibility of dangerous mercury poisoning.

A Dead Cat's Brain Revives Discussion of 1960s Mercury Poisoning Disaster in Japan

The exact molecule behind the Minamata mercury disaster, caused by a chemical plant’s wastewater, remains a point of disagreement

Figurines on display at Poland's Cat Museum

Poland's Only Cat Museum Puts Couple's Private Collection of Trinkets on Display

The pint-sized institution, which opened last year, is filled with 1,000 feline-themed knickknacks that journeyed with their owners from Ukraine

Erik Farrell stands beside one of the USS Monitor's eight-ton, Civil War-era Dahlgren guns.

Why Did Restorers Search a Civil War Battleship's Guns for the Remains of a Black Cat?

Clearing out the eight-ton, 11-foot-long cannons gave conservators a chance to follow up on the tale of an unlucky feline

A digital reconstruction of a 2,000-year-old sarcophagus fragment adorned with the face of a leopard

2,000-Year-Old Leopard Face Painting Reconstructed From Egyptian Sarcophagus

To the ancient Egyptians, the big cat symbolized strength and power, demarcating a tomb of high status

Oscillations originating deep inside the sun become detectable only on the surface.

How Do Scientists Record Sounds From the Sun? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions, we’ve got experts

Most cat allergies are caused by a protein called Fel d 1 that's found in cat saliva and skin glands, and often gets wicked into fur.

What Does a Study of Slow Lorises Actually Say About Cat Allergies?

An unusual theory ultimately warrants skepticism under further research is conducted

Asiatic cheetahs—like this one photographed in Iran—haven't had a stable population in India in decades. Now, the government has clearance to introduce African cheetahs into several wildlife ranges in the Indian subcontinent.

After Decades-Long Battle, Cheetahs Can Be Reintroduced in India

Officials will now move forward with an experimental—and controversial—plan

Félicette, a former stray who was sent into space by French researchers in 1963, now has a bronze statue in her honor at France's International Space University.

Félicette, the First Cat in Space, Finally Gets a Memorial

Last month, a team unveiled a bronze statue honoring the feline, who launched on a suborbital mission in 1963

A melanistic Indian leopard in Nagarhole National Park.

Why Are Black Leopards So Rare?

Several species of cat have members with all-black coats, but the evolutionary advantages and disadvantages are just starting to be understood

A tiger similar to the one pictured here trekked more than 800 miles over the course of five months.

Tiger Takes Record-Breaking 800-Mile Trek Across India

The male, dubbed C1, left the Tipeshwar Tiger Reserve in June and is likely looking for a mate, new territory or prey

Mercury-Laden Fog May Be Poisoning California’s Mountain Lions

A new study has found that pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains display higher mercury levels than big cats in inland regions

A cat statue is displayed after the announcement of a new discovery carried out by an Egyptian archaeological team in Giza's Saqqara necropolis.

Archaeologists Reveal Rare Mummified Lion Cubs Unearthed in Egypt

CT scans identified two of five mummified big cats as young lions, but the remaining animals' identities remain unclear

Though the Iberian lynx seemed destined for extinction, a conservation effort in Spain and Portugal has helped the population stabilize.

How the Iberian Lynx Bounced Back From the Brink of Extinction

Two decades ago, fewer than 100 Iberian lynx remained, but thanks to captive breeding and habitat management, the population is recovering

Even Shy Cats Are Bonded to Their Human Caregivers

A new study suggests that cats form ‘secure attachments’ to their owners, just like dogs and human babies do

A wild southern sea otter off Moss Landing in California

Parasite Spread by House Cats Is Killing California’s Sea Otters

To counter the parasite's spread, cat owners should keep their pets indoor and dispose of feline feces in the trash rather than the toilet or outdoors

Potential explanations for the disorder include infectious disease, rat poison, toxic algae and nutritional deficiencies.

Florida Authorities Investigate a Disorder Affecting Panthers' Ability to Walk

The crippling condition appears to hamper the big cats’ back leg coordination

Nom, nom, nom.

Researchers Think They Know Why Cats Eat Grass

Contrary to popular belief, grass only occasionally makes cats vomit

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