ScienceDaily: Cat News

Domestic cats, and wild bobcats and pumas, living in same area have same diseases

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:46:46 EST

Scientists found evidence that domestic cats and wild cats that share the same outdoor areas in urban environments also can share diseases such as Bartonellosis and Toxoplasmosis. Both can be spread from cats to people.

Volunteers clear tiger snares in China

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:54:54 EST

Volunteers working in northeast China have cleared 162 illegal wire snares in an ongoing effort to protect the nation’s remaining population of critically endangered Amur (Siberian) tigers.

Mammals shrink at faster rates than they grow: Research helps explain large-scale size changes and recovery from mass extinctions

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:19:19 EST

It took about 10 million generations for terrestrial mammals to hit their maximum mass: that's about the size of a cat evolving into the size of an elephant. Sea mammals, such as whales took about half the number of generations to hit their maximum.

Love of a dog or cat helps women cope with HIV/AIDS

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:55:55 EST

A spoonful of medicine goes down a lot easier if there is a dog or cat around. Having pets is helpful for women living with HIV/AIDS and managing their chronic illness, according to a new study.

Saving the snow leopard with stem cells

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:47:47 EST

The survival of the endangered snow leopard is looking promising thanks to scientists who have, for the first time, produced embryonic stem-like cells from the tissue of an adult leopard.

Prehistoric predators with supersized teeth had beefier arm bones

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:37:37 EST

The toothiest prehistoric predators also had beefier arm bones, according to results of a new study. Saber-toothed tigers may come to mind, but these extinct cats weren't the only animals with fearsome fangs. Take the false saber-toothed cats -- also known as nimravids -- and their catlike cousins, a family of carnivores called the barbourofelids.

Return of the Persian leopard In Afghanistan's central highlands

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:05:05 EST

Recent camera trap images from the rocky terrain of Afghanistan's central highlands have revealed a surprise: A Persian leopard, an apex predator long thought to have disappeared from the region, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Counting cats: The endangered snow leopards of the Himalayas

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:05:05 EST

The elusive snow leopard lives high in the mountains across Central Asia. Despite potentially living across 12 countries the actual numbers of this beautiful large cat are largely unknown. New research has used genetic analysis to show that the numbers of snow leopards in the central Himalayas is actually much lower than suggested.

Five rare wild cat species caught on camera in Sumatra

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:22:22 EST

After an amazing five of the seven wild cat species found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra were recently caught on camera in tract of forest being rapidly lost to deforestation, the World Wildlife Fund in Indonesia is urging companies and authorities to take immediate steps to save the valuable area.

Brain parasite directly alters brain chemistry

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:21:21 EDT

A research group from the University of Leeds has shown that infection by the brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii, found in 10-20 percent of the UK's population, directly affects the production of dopamine, a key chemical messenger in the brain.

Born to roar: Lions' and tigers' fearsome roars are due to their unusual vocal cords

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EDT

When lions and tigers roar loudly and deeply -- terrifying every creature within earshot -- they are somewhat like human babies crying for attention, although their voices are much deeper. So says the senior author of a new study that shows lions' and tigers' loud, low-frequency roars are predetermined by physical properties of their vocal fold tissue -- namely, the ability to stretch and shear -- and not by nerve impulses from the brain.

Bolivia's jaguars set a record

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:11:11 EDT

In a new camera trap survey in the world's most biologically diverse landscape, researchers have identified more individual jaguars than ever before.

US not taking basic step to prevent toxoplasmosis in newborns, researcher contends

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:26:26 EDT

North American babies who acquire toxoplasmosis infections in the womb show much higher rates of brain and eye damage than European infants with the same infection, according to new research.

Russian and US veterinarians collaborate to solve mysterious wild tiger deaths

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:30:30 EDT

Veterinarians are working to understand how distemper -- a virus afflicting domestic dogs and many wildlife species -- may be a growing threat to Siberian tigers.

Risk factors for cat cancer could have human implications

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:50:50 EDT

A recent, large-scale study on cat intestinal cancer has provided new insight into a common pet disease and its causes; the findings could ultimately benefit humans.

Monkeys also reason through analogy, study shows

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:22:22 EDT

Recognizing relations between relations is what analogy is all about. What lies behind this ability? Is it uniquely human? A new study has shown that monkeys are capable of making analogies.

Researchers discover how 'promiscuous parasites' hijack host immune cells

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EDT

Researchers recently discovered how T. gondii evades our defenses by hacking immune cells, making it the first known parasite to control its host's immune system. A new study describes a forced partnership between parasite and host that challenges common conceptions of how pathogens interact with the body.

Researchers team with glowing cats against AIDS, other diseases; New technique gives cats protection genes

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 14:52:52 EDT

Researchers have developed a genome-based immunization strategy to fight feline AIDS and illuminate ways to combat human HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

Treating epilepsy in cats

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 08:16:16 EDT

Cats are known to have types of epileptic seizures in which consciousness is usually impaired although not all of the body is affected. Researchers in Austria now show that cats that suffer in this way have changes in the hippocampus, the part of the brain most commonly affected in human epilepsy.

Iberian lynx not doomed by its genetics

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 19:14:14 EDT

The low genetic diversity of the Iberian lynx -- the most endangered carnivore in Europe -- may not decrease the species' chance of survival, according to new research by geneticists.

Parasite uses the power of attraction to trick rats into becoming cat food

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:15:15 EDT

Rats infected with the parasite Toxoplasma seem to lose their fear of cats -- or at least cat urine. Now researchers have discovered the brains of those infected, fearless male rats show activity in the region that normally triggers a mating response when encountering a female rat. But that does not mean it's love, as Toxoplasma just wants the rat to be eaten by a cat, so the parasite can reproduce in the cat's intestines.

Parasite-infected rodents attracted to cat odor

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:59:59 EDT

New research shows how a brain parasite can manipulate rodent fear responses for the parasite's own benefit. The single-celled parasite Toxoplasma gondii makes infected rodents more likely to spend time near cat odors.

Bolstering genetic diversity among cheetahs

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:32:32 EDT

Researchers have discovered why older females are rarely able to reproduce -- and hope to use this information to introduce vital new genes into the pool. Scientists analyzed hormones, eggs and the uteri of 34 cheetahs at eight institutions, and determined that while the hormones and eggs of cheetahs older than 8 years appear normal, the animals' uterine tracks tend to suffer from abnormal cell growth, infections and cysts that prevent pregnancy.

Competition with humans responsible for decline of New Zealand's endangered sea lions, study shows

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:58:58 EDT

Marine researchers in New Zealand have identified the direct impact of fishing as the largest known human factor in the decline of the endangered native sea lion population. The team's findings discount non-human factors, such as disease and identifies resource competition and by-catch incidents as the most likely causes.

Full moon indicates impending danger from lion attack, study shows

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:06:06 EDT

A new study led by Craig Packer, an international lion expert based at the University of Minnesota's College of Biological Sciences, shows that while moonlight limits lions' success at hunting their four-legged prey, the last day of a full moon signals the beginning of a foraging opportunity for bipeds.

Snow leopard population discovered in Afghanistan

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:14:14 EDT

Biologists have discovered a surprisingly healthy population of rare snow leopards living in the mountainous reaches of northeastern Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor, according to a new study.

Fisher decline documented in California

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:28:28 EDT

Researchers have reported a 73-percent decline in the density of fishers -- a house-cat sized member of the weasel family and candidate for endangered species listing -- on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation in northwestern California between 1998 and 2005.

Twenty-four species of carnivores confirmed for Borneo

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:50:50 EDT

The first Borneo Carnivore Symposium was concluded on a high note this week as worldwide experts determined species priorities for the Bornean nations of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Early exposure to pets does not increase children's risk of allergies, study finds; Evidence suggests it may actually reduce likelihood

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 01:44:44 EDT

A new study reveals that keeping a dog or cat in the home does not increase children's risk of becoming allergic to the pets.

Significant litter of cheetah cubs born at Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 16:46:46 EDT

Five cheetah cubs were born May 28 at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va. This litter is particularly significant to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan for cheetahs because cheetah births in zoos across the country have dwindled. The SSP matches animals across the country to ensure genetic diversity in the population. This is the only litter of cheetahs born this year in a North American zoo.

Diagnosing stomach disease in pet reptiles

Tue, 31 May 2011 08:46:46 EDT

A popular "get well" card shows a raccoon saying to a snake, "You wouldn't get these stomach aches if you chewed your food properly." Vets know, however, that indigestion in snakes and other reptiles often results not from swallowing food whole but from a parasitic infection. The gastrointestinal disease cryptosporidiosis represents a particularly severe problem. Unfortunately, though, diagnosis is extremely difficult. Scientists have now developed a test for the identification of the cryptosporidia that cause the condition, enabling them to assess its prevalence in pet lizards and snakes.

Secret lives of feral and free-roaming house cats tracked

Thu, 26 May 2011 11:45:45 EDT

Researchers (and some cat-owners) wanted to know: What do feral and free-roaming house cats do when they're out of sight? A two-year study offers a first look at the daily lives of these feline paupers and princes, whose territories overlap on the urban, suburban, rural and agricultural edges of many towns.

Dual parasitic infections deadly to marine mammals

Tue, 24 May 2011 17:12:12 EDT

A study of tissue samples from 161 marine mammals that died between 2004 and 2009 in the Pacific Northwest reveals an association between severe illness and co-infection with two kinds of parasites normally found in land animals. One, Sarcocystis neurona, is a newcomer to the northwest coastal region of North America and is not known to infect people, while the other, Toxoplasma gondii, has been established there for some time and caused a large outbreak of disease in people in 1995.

Cockroach allergens in homes associated with prevalence of childhood asthma in some neighborhoods

Tue, 17 May 2011 15:13:13 EDT

Researchers compared the household presence of cockroach, mouse, cat, dust mite and other allergens in neighborhoods with a high prevalence of asthma to that in low-prevalence neighborhoods. They found that cockroach, mouse and cat allergens were significantly higher in homes located in neighborhoods where asthma is more common and that children in these higher-exposure homes were more likely to be sensitized to cockroach antigens.

Cats pass disease to wildlife, even in remote areas

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:19:19 EDT

Researchers tracking the spread of Toxoplasma gondii -- a parasite that reproduces only in cats but sickens and kills many other animals -- have found infected wildlife throughout a 1,500-acre (600-hectare) natural area in central Illinois.

Marsupial wolf or Tasmanian tiger? Extinct Australian thylacine was more cat than dog, researchers find

Tue, 03 May 2011 20:38:38 EDT

Was the iconic, extinct creature that once roamed Australia a marsupial wolf or a Tasmanian tiger? By examining bones, researchers have shown that the thylacine was an ambush-style predator that was unable to outrun prey over long distances. This hunting approach differs from wolves and other dog-like species that hunt in packs and pursue.

Giant hummingbirds: Running a little hot, but not on empty

Mon, 02 May 2011 16:31:31 EDT

Scientists have long thought that the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) was just about as big as a hummingbird could get. They're nearly twice the size of the next largest species, and it was assumed that the energy needed for hovering flight would take the giants close to the upper metabolic limits for an animal that size. Not so, according to a new study.

Flame retardants at high levels in pet dogs, study finds

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 07:10:10 EDT

Scientists have found chemical flame retardants in the blood of pet dogs at concentrations five to 10 times higher than in humans, but lower than levels found in a previous study of cats.

West and Central African lions are genetically different from those in East and southern Africa

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:51:51 EDT

New findings of genetic research on lions reveals a remarkable difference between lions in West and Central Africa and lions in East and southern Africa.

Cat allergy vaccine safe and effective, study suggests

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:35:35 EDT

Mark Larché and his research team have developed a cat allergy vaccine which is effective and safe with almost no side effects.

Aimless proteins may be crucial to disease

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:13:13 EDT

A supposedly inactive protein actually plays a crucial role in the ability of one the world's most prolific pathogens to cause disease and could also be important to other such pathogen-based diseases as malaria.

How different strains of parasite infection affect behavior differently

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:34:34 EDT

Toxoplasma gondii infects approximately 25 percent of the human population. The protozoan parasite is noted for altering the behavior of infected hosts. Researchers have found clear differences in the manipulation of host gene expression among the three clonal lineages that predominate in Europe and North America, despite the high level of genetic similarity among them.

Intervention offers 'best chance' to save species endangered by climate change, expert argues

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:12:12 EDT

A scientist is proposing a radical program of "assisted colonization" to save species endangered by climate change. He says the strategy is applicable across the world, and he suggests Britain as a potential haven for species such as the Iberian lynx, the Spanish Imperial Eagle, the Pyrenean Desman and the Provence Chalkhill Blue butterfly.

Rare Andean cat no longer exclusive to the Andes

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:26:26 EDT

Once thought to exclusively inhabit its namesake mountain range, the threatened Andean cat -- a house cat-sized feline that resembles a small snow leopard in both appearance and habitat -- also frequents the Patagonian steppe at much lower elevations, according to a new study.

Maquipucuna cloud forest in Ecuador yields new species of yeast

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 10:37:37 EDT

A new species of yeast has been discovered growing on the fruit of an unidentified and innocuous bramble collected from the biodiversity-rich Maquipucuna cloud forest nature reserve, near Quito, in Ecuador.

Toxoplasmosis: The strain explains severity of infection

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:36:36 EDT

Providing clues into why the severity of a common parasitic infection can vary greatly from person to person, a new study shows that each one of three strains of the cat-borne parasite Toxoplasma gondii sets off a unique reaction in the nerve cells it invades.

Cell component involved in triggering cat allergy identified

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:21:21 EST

New research could provide hope for any allergy sufferers who have ever had to choose between their health and their household pet.

For birds, the suburbs may not be an ideal place to raise a family

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:23:23 EST

There comes a time in life for every bird to spread its wings and leave the nest, but for gray catbirds, that might be the beginning of the end. Scientists report fledgling catbirds in suburban habitats are at their most vulnerable stage of life, with almost 80 percent killed by predators before they reach adulthood. Almost half of the deaths were linked to domestic cats.

Eastern cougar is extinct, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concludes

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:07:07 EST

Although the eastern cougar has been on the endangered species list since 1973, its existence has long been questioned. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a formal review of the available information and, in a new report, concludes the eastern cougar is extinct and recommends the subspecies be removed from the endangered species list.

3-D structure required for function of some vital cell transporters resolved

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:24:24 EST

Researchers have completed the 3-D structural sequence adopted by several essential proteins in the exchange of substances between the extra and intracellular milieu. This finding provides a global perspective of the structural changes that occur in these relevant proteins during basic cell processes, such as protein synthesis, the regulation of metabolism and cell volume, and nerve transmission, and will contribute to understanding some of the functional disruptions caused by human diseases.

T. rex more hyena than lion: Tyrannosaurus rex was opportunistic feeder, not top predator, paleontologists say

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:05:05 EST

Was T. rex really the king of the forest? A new census of dinosaurs in Montana's Hell Creek Formation shows that T. rex was far too abundant to be a top predator. Paleontologists argue that T. rex probably subsisted on a broad variety of dead as well as live animals, much like today's hyena.

Miscarriage parasite rare in Norwegian dairy herds

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:47:47 EST

Neospora caninum is a unicellular parasite that induces miscarriages in cows in large parts of the world. Researchers have charted both the occurrence of the parasite in Norway and also important immunological processes that occur when herds become infected. The parasite occurs only rarely in Norway, but these immunological findings are of value for the development of a more effective vaccine.

The brain knows what the nose smells, but how?

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 20:55:55 EST

Biologists have developed a new technique to trace neural pathways across the brain. They have mapped the path of odor signals as they travel to the higher centers of a mouse brain, illuminating the ways mammalian brains process smells.

Asian tiger numbers could triple if large-scale landscapes are protected

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:45:45 EST

The tiger reserves of Asia could support more than 10,000 wild tigers -- three times the current number -- if they are managed as large-scale landscapes that allow for connectivity between core breeding sites, a new study finds. The study is the first assessment of the political commitment made by all 13 tiger range countries last November to double the tiger population across Asia by 2022.

Delving into the past of a big cat: Clouded leopard redefined

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:58:58 EST

Using genetic and morphological analyses, researchers have recently demonstrated that the clouded leopard (Neofelis) should not only be classified into two species, but that one of which even comprises two distinct subspecies.

On the trail of a stealthy parasite Biologist shows why some strains of Toxoplasma are more dangerous than others

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 11:43:43 EST

About one-third of the human population is infected with a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, but most of them don't know it. Though Toxoplasma causes no symptoms in most people, it can be harmful to individuals with suppressed immune systems, and to fetuses whose mothers become infected during pregnancy. Toxoplasma spores are found in dirt and easily infect farm animals such as cows, sheep, pigs and chickens. Humans can be infected by eating undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables.

Even healthy cats act sick when their routine is disrupted

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:03:03 EST

A cat regularly vomiting hairballs or refusing to eat probably isn't being finicky or otherwise "cat-like," despite what conventional wisdom might say. There is a good chance that the cat is acting sick because of the stress caused by changes in its environment, new research suggests. Healthy cats were just as likely as chronically ill cats to refuse food, vomit frequently and leave waste outside their litter box in response to changes in their routine.

Protein helps parasite, toxoplasma gondii, survive in host cells

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 18:09:09 EST

Researchers have learned why changes in a single gene, ROP18, contribute substantially to dangerous forms of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The answer has likely moved science a step closer to new ways to beat Toxoplasma and many other parasites.

Parasite and bacterium illustrate convergent evolution: Both hijack cells' 'post office'

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 10:18:18 EST

Protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii and pathogenic bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis exemplify convergent evolution, development of similar biological trait in unrelated lineages, according to new research.

Shoo, fly! Catnip oil repels bloodsucking flies

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:58:58 EST

Catnip, the plant that attracts domestic cats like an irresistible force, has proven 99 percent effective in repelling the blood-sucking flies that attack horses and cows, causing $2 billion in annual loses to the cattle industry.