Cats | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/cats/RSS feed for CatsenFri, 14 Aug 2026 11:05:54 +0000Lions, Lions and Lions, Oh My! 15 Photos of the Most Majestic Big Cats Found Throughout Africahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/lions-lions-and-lions-oh-my-15-photos-of-the-most-majestic-big-cats-found-throughout-africa-180989333/Ranging from cubs to adults, this selection of shots from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest showcases the apex predator of the savannaFri, 14 Aug 2026 11:05:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/lions-lions-and-lions-oh-my-15-photos-of-the-most-majestic-big-cats-found-throughout-africa-180989333/Pumas Might Be Making Your Drive Home Safer. When the Predators Are Around, Deer Tend to Avoid Roads, Preventing Some Collisionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pumas-might-be-making-your-drive-home-safer-when-the-predators-are-around-deer-tend-to-avoid-roads-preventing-some-collisions-180989314/In Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, the wild cats’ presence corresponded with a 67 percent drop in the likelihood of a deer-vehicle crash and a 76 percent overall decline in the number of wrecks during a five-year period, according to a new studyWed, 12 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pumas-might-be-making-your-drive-home-safer-when-the-predators-are-around-deer-tend-to-avoid-roads-preventing-some-collisions-180989314/Spinal Deformities in Saber-Toothed Cat Fossils Reveal How the Now-Extinct Felines May Have Spent Their Final Dayshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spinal-deformities-in-saber-toothed-cat-fossils-reveal-how-the-now-extinct-felines-may-have-spent-their-final-days-180989237/Researchers studied saber-toothed cat vertebrae found in the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. They identified a surprisingly high number of deformations, including signs of spinal nerve tumors, hinting at a dwindling population suffering the consequences of inbreedingMon, 10 Aug 2026 15:36:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spinal-deformities-in-saber-toothed-cat-fossils-reveal-how-the-now-extinct-felines-may-have-spent-their-final-days-180989237/When a Cat Licks Another Cat, It's Not Always a Friendly Gesture. New Study Reveals They May Just Want Their Own Spacehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-a-cat-licks-another-cat-its-not-always-friendly-new-study-reveals-180989136/Classic feline behavior could be a passive-aggressive maneuver to get what they wantFri, 17 Jul 2026 12:59:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-a-cat-licks-another-cat-its-not-always-friendly-new-study-reveals-180989136/15 Kitten Photos That Will Make You Feel as Warm and Fuzzy as the Tiny Felines Themselveshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/15-kitten-photos-that-will-make-you-feel-as-warm-and-fuzzy-as-the-tiny-felines-themselves-180989111/These moments from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest highlight curious kittens from around the worldFri, 17 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/15-kitten-photos-that-will-make-you-feel-as-warm-and-fuzzy-as-the-tiny-felines-themselves-180989111/