Cats

Cheetahs may give up their prey to a larger predator, such as a lion or leopard, if one comes along while they are eating.

Cheetahs Become More Nocturnal in Extreme Heat, Study Finds

Hunting later at night may force the big cats to surrender their prey to larger carnivores, such as lions and leopards

Wildcats appear very similar to domestic cats, but they are slightly larger with longer legs.

Domestic Cats Could Breed Scottish Wildcats Out of Existence

Just a few decades of intermixing affected the DNA of all sampled modern wildcats, researchers say, suggesting the species may be "genomically extinct"

Cats have 26 different facial movements that combine to make 276 distinct expressions, according to a new study.

Cats Make Nearly 300 Different Facial Expressions

From ear position to pupil size, a new study examines how felines express themselves while interacting with one another

Because of their size, cats have relatively short vocal cords—so how are they able to produce such low-frequency sounds when purring?

How Do Cats Purr? Scientists May Now Have an Answer

Domestic cats produce low-frequency vocalizations when purring, an unusual ability for their small size

The cat door at the Exeter Cathedral in Devon County, England, is a strong contender for the oldest cat door on record. 

Where Can You Find the Oldest Cat Door on Earth?

The little opening for felines has a surprisingly long history

The clouded leopard kitten, born last month at the Oklahoma City Zoo, has now been transferred to the Nashville Zoo to be hand-reared and eventually paired with a mate.

'Rare' Clouded Leopard Kitten Born at the Oklahoma City Zoo

Keepers hope the young male will have his own "little cloudies" one day, helping maintain the vulnerable species' captive population

A saber-toothed tiger skull during a press preview at Sotheby's in July 2022.

Saber-Toothed Tigers and Dire Wolves Suffered From Bone Disease

Some fossils preserved in the La Brea tar pits showed signs of an inherited joint condition that may have proliferated as the animals neared extinction

A variety of saber-toothed animals have evolved to fill different niches.

Eight Menacing Saber-Toothed Creatures That Stalked the Earth Long Ago

From before the dinosaurs to the Ice Age, several mammals and their forerunners sported the iconic, curved teeth

A walkway for visitors to tour the newly opened site

You Can Now Visit the Site Where Julius Caesar Was Stabbed

Rediscovered in the 1920s, the Roman square is now welcoming visitors for the first time

Researchers hope that an injection could one day be a faster and safer substitute for surgical cat sterilization.

Scientists Develop New Birth Control for Female Cats—No Surgery Necessary

The one-time injection of a gene therapy could eventually be used to control cat populations

After nearly 40 years, desert lions are once again hunting marine prey along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, where scientists believed the knowledge had been lost.

In Namibia, Lions Are King of the Beach

As the big cats return to hunting fur seals on the Skeleton Coast, a new project tries to keep people out of the way

The serval surveys her new recovery enclosure at the sanctuary in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Farmers Find Wild African Cat Wandering Around Missouri

A wildlife refuge took in the serval last month and is nursing it back to health

Large felids such as lions and tigers cause more deaths than other predators like bears and wolves. Most fatal felid attacks occur in low-income areas and are predatory, with humans stalked as prey.

What 70 Years of Data Says About Where Predators Kill Humans

A new survey of attacks by lions, wolves and other big carnivores shows that people in low-income countries are at greater risk

A captive-bred male lion at Warthog Safaris in Limpopo, South Africa. The breeding facility is one of an estimated 260 in the country.

Is It Ethical to Hunt Captive Lions?

In South Africa, the big cats are raised to be killed by hunters. Opponents are outraged, but advocates point to conservation benefits

Our ten-most read stories of the year featured the all-woman army of the African kingdom of Dahomey, mischievous felines, J.R.R. Tolkien and more.

Our Top Ten Stories of 2022

From a teen inventor to invasive fish to lost cities of the Amazon, these were our most-read articles of the year

Innovators may want to create soft robots that more accurately replicate the dynamics of an elephant’s trunk.

Seven Scientific Discoveries From 2022 That May Lead to New Inventions

Nature is a breeding ground for innovative solutions to everything from aging to plastic pollution

One of the first-ever photos of a young pink iguana

First Recorded Pink Iguana Hatchlings Found on Galápagos Island

After a ten-month effort, researchers discovered the young endangered reptiles on a remote volcano

This 2013 photo of P-22 helped catapult him to fame. The cougar inspired conservation projects for urban wildlife and earned a robust Instagram following.

Why Los Angeles Fell in Love With the Mountain Lion Known as P-22

A local celebrity, the feline that was the face of several conservation campaigns died this weekend

New York is now the sixth state to pass a law banning pet sales in stores, following California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland and Washington.

New York Bans Sale of Dogs, Cats and Rabbits in Pet Stores

The law, meant to combat abusive breeders, will take effect in 2024

A pack of grey wolves in Yellowstone National Park. 

Parasites Make Grey Wolves More Likely to Become Pack Leaders

Research has shown that infected animals can engage in riskier behavior than their uninfected peers

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