Polydactyl Cats: The Genetics Behind Extra Toes
Extra toes come from a single dominant gene, and some places have way more polydactyl cats than others thanks to sailors and old ship cats centuries ago.
Cat Science
Posts tagged "Cat Science" · All posts
Purebred vs. Mixed Breed Cats: What Genetics Actually Says About Health
Purebred cats carry more breed-specific health risks from a smaller gene pool, while mixed breeds get more genetic diversity. Here's what that actually means.
Genetic Testing for Cats: What It Can and Can't Actually Tell You
Cheek swab DNA tests can flag breed ancestry and known disease mutations in cats, but they genuinely can't predict everything about a cat's future health.
Cat Whiskers: The Sensory Organ Doing More Than You Think
Whiskers aren't just cute fluff, they're a deeply rooted sensor system that reads air currents, judges tight spaces and even shows a cat's mood.
How Cat Claws Actually Work: The Anatomy Behind Retractable Claws
Cat claws stay sharp because of a ligament-and-tendon mechanism dogs don't have, and understanding it explains why declawing is so much more than a nail trim.
Why Cats Can Turn Around in Midair: The Anatomy of the Righting Reflex
The "cats always land on their feet" myth comes from a real reflex built on inner ear balance and an ultra-flexible spine, but it isn't foolproof.
Cat Teeth 101: What Each Tooth Is Actually Built to Do
Cats have 30 teeth built for piercing and shearing meat, not grinding, and that single fact explains a lot about how they eat and get dental disease.
How Smart Are Cats, Actually
Cats have nearly double the cortical neurons of dogs, so the "dumb cat" idea says more about compliance than actual brainpower.
Do Cats Actually Remember Things? What We Know About Feline Memory
Cats hold onto memories of people, places and bad experiences for years, and that memory is a big part of why routine matters so much to them.
Can Cats Solve Problems? What Object Permanence Tests Actually Show
Cats generally pass object permanence tests around the level of a human toddler, and puzzle feeders prove it in everyday life.
Yes, You Can Actually Train a Cat: Here's How It Actually Works
Cats respond great to clicker training and treats, they just need short, reward-only sessions instead of the methods that work on dogs.
How Cats See Color: The Truth About Feline Color Vision
Cats aren't colorblind, they see a real but narrower slice of color than we do, and it's not the palette you'd expect.