Cats

Black cats may be a symbol of bad luck in many Western societies, but one such sooty feline has brought good fortune to scientists, playing a key role in identifying a new virus that can infect humans. It's the second novel bug Pepper has hunted down.

The existence of orange cats dates back to the 12th century, but the DNA driving this color has been a mystery – until now. Scientists have solved the puzzle, finding a surprise variant that triggers ginger fur, one not seen in any other orange animal.

Incredibly, for the first time, scientists have unraveled how static electricity works, something first recorded in 600 BCE but not fully understood until now. While cats are not the only culprits, their fur is a prime vessel for charging your hands.

In the largest study of its kind, researchers have found that sharing a childhood home with a kitty can more than double the risk of later developing schizophrenia-like disorders. However, in what may surprise some, it's not entirely the cat's fault.

More than 40 million Americans carry this feline-host bug. Now, a new study has linked our immune response to the infection with accelerated physical and cognitive decline. Fortunately, you don't have to throw the cat out with the cat litter just yet.

A new study has revealed how overeating affects a cat’s digestion and gut microbiome. The greater understanding provided by the study may help to prevent pet obesity and the health problems associated with it.

Lending new meaning to the phrase ‘cat burglar’, a single feline hair left at a crime scene can be traced back to an individual animal through a new method that can highlight a unique, rare genetic ‘fingerprint’. You could say it turns the cat into a rat.

Getting your cat spayed is a normal part of pet ownership, but it can be expensive, invasive and not very practical on strays. Now scientists have tested a new method that renders female cats permanently sterile with a single gene therapy injection.

The famous thought experiment of Schrödinger’s Cat neatly sums up a complex quantum phenomenon in terms we can visualize. Now scientists have created the heaviest Schrödinger’s Cat to date, probing the boundaries between quantum and classical physics.

A single protein called Fel d 1 is responsible for the lion's share of human cat allergies, but a company called InBio says its initial research indicates a promising possibility that this protein can be eliminated safely using CRISPR gene editing.

More and more, insect protein is being suggested as a more sustainable alternative to meat. Humans aren't the only omnivores, though, which is why a new insect-based cat food should soon be hitting the market – and it won't be the only one.

Sparking new dogs versus cats arguments, a study is suggesting exposure to a pet dog over a child’s first years can be linked to a lower risk of developing schizophrenia as an adult. The same correlation was not seen in children raised with cats.