CalCat California's Home for Feline Science & Care

CalCat

California's Home for Feline Science & Care

Latest Articles

Every Breath They Take: Why Your Cat's Lungs Are Fighting a Losing Battle With Your Indoor Air
Cat Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Every Breath They Take: Why Your Cat's Lungs Are Fighting a Losing Battle With Your Indoor Air

Cats breathe differently than we do — and that difference makes them quietly vulnerable to the air inside your home in ways most owners never consider. From wildfire smoke seeping through window seals to scented candles and mold spores, California homes are full of invisible threats. Here's what the science says, and what you can actually do about it.
Built for the Dark: The Remarkable Eye Science That Makes Cats Deadly After Sunset
Feline Science & Conservation

Built for the Dark: The Remarkable Eye Science That Makes Cats Deadly After Sunset

Your cat isn't stumbling around at 3 AM — they're thriving in conditions that would leave you completely blind. The science behind feline night vision is genuinely wild, and understanding it can make your home safer and more enriching for your indoor cat.
The Pill Problem: What's Really Going On When Your Cat Spits Out Every Medication You Give Them
Feline Science & Conservation

The Pill Problem: What's Really Going On When Your Cat Spits Out Every Medication You Give Them

Cats are notoriously terrible patients, and there's deep biology behind why. From taste receptor quirks to stress-triggered refusal, the science of feline medication resistance is genuinely fascinating — and California vets are finally finding ways around it.
Your Cat Won't Make You Lose Your Mind: What the Science on Toxoplasma Actually Says
Feline Science & Conservation

Your Cat Won't Make You Lose Your Mind: What the Science on Toxoplasma Actually Says

For decades, headlines have gleefully blamed cats for everything from personality changes to psychiatric disorders. But what does peer-reviewed research — including work coming out of California's own universities — actually say about toxoplasma gondii? Spoiler: it's a lot more boring than the internet wants you to believe.
3 AM and Fully Unhinged: The Real Science Behind Your Cat's Nighttime Chaos
Feline Science & Conservation

3 AM and Fully Unhinged: The Real Science Behind Your Cat's Nighttime Chaos

Your cat isn't broken — they're just running ancient predator software at an inconvenient hour. The chaotic sprinting, wall-bouncing, and toy-murdering that erupts in the middle of the night is rooted in millions of years of feline evolution, and science is finally explaining exactly why it happens. Here's what's going on inside your cat's brain when the lights go out.
Almost Always Female: The Weird Genetics Behind Calicos and What It Means for California Shelters
Feline Science & Conservation

Almost Always Female: The Weird Genetics Behind Calicos and What It Means for California Shelters

Calico and tortoiseshell cats are nearly always female — and it's not a coincidence. It's a chromosomal quirk baked into mammalian biology, and it has real consequences for how California's shelters categorize, market, and adopt out thousands of cats every year.
Two Colors, One Cat, Zero Y Chromosomes: The Genetics Behind California's Rarest Coat Pattern
Feline Science & Conservation

Two Colors, One Cat, Zero Y Chromosomes: The Genetics Behind California's Rarest Coat Pattern

Calico and tortoiseshell cats are some of the most visually stunning animals in any California shelter — and almost every single one of them is female. It's not a coincidence. It's chromosomes. Here's the surprisingly wild science behind why these patchwork beauties are genetically one-of-a-kind.
Kittens Get All the Likes — But Adult Cats Are the Real Adoption Secret
The Shelter Waiting Game

Kittens Get All the Likes — But Adult Cats Are the Real Adoption Secret

California shelters are overflowing with calm, affectionate adult cats who get scrolled past every single day in favor of kittens. The data tells a different story than the preference — and some savvy shelters are finally changing the narrative.
The Shelter Waiting Game: Why California's Friendliest Adult Cats Can't Catch a Break
Feline Science & Conservation

The Shelter Waiting Game: Why California's Friendliest Adult Cats Can't Catch a Break

California shelters are overflowing with healthy, affectionate adult cats who've been passed over for months while kittens disappear within days. The reasons are rooted in psychology, marketing, and some surprisingly stubborn myths — and understanding them might just change how you think about your next adoption.
Old Cat, New Tricks: How California Vets Are Finally Getting Serious About Senior Cat Pain
Cat Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Old Cat, New Tricks: How California Vets Are Finally Getting Serious About Senior Cat Pain

For decades, a slowing senior cat was just considered a natural part of aging. California veterinarians are now pushing back hard on that assumption, armed with new pain assessment tools, emerging pharmaceuticals, and a growing body of research showing that many older cats have been quietly suffering for years. Here's what's changing — and what every cat owner needs to know.
Stray, Stay, or Snip? How TNR Became California's Most Controversial — and Most Effective — Feral Cat Strategy
Cat Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Stray, Stay, or Snip? How TNR Became California's Most Controversial — and Most Effective — Feral Cat Strategy

California is home to millions of feral cats and a decades-long debate about what to do with them. Trap-Neuter-Return programs have the strongest scientific backing of any management approach — so why do shelters, wildlife advocates, and city councils still clash over them? We dug into the research and talked to the people on the ground.
That Rumbling Sound Isn't Just Happiness — Your Cat's Purr Is Doing Something Wild
Feline Science & Conservation

That Rumbling Sound Isn't Just Happiness — Your Cat's Purr Is Doing Something Wild

Most of us assume a purring cat is a happy cat — but feline behaviorists say that's only part of the story. Your cat's purr is actually a multitasking biological tool that can signal stress, trigger self-healing, and even nudge you toward filling the food bowl. Here's what the science actually says.
More Than Whiskers: The Hidden Sensory Superpower Built Into Your Cat's Face
Cat Safety & Emergency Preparedness

More Than Whiskers: The Hidden Sensory Superpower Built Into Your Cat's Face

Those stiff hairs on your cat's face aren't just cute — they're a precision sensory instrument that detects things humans literally cannot perceive. Understanding how your cat's whiskers work can completely change how you set up their environment, feed them, and interact with them. California feline behaviorists are helping owners rethink the everyday choices that might be stressing their cats out without anyone realizing it.
Gut Feelings: The Surprising Science Connecting Your Cat's Belly Bacteria to Their Mood and Lifespan
Feline Science & Conservation

Gut Feelings: The Surprising Science Connecting Your Cat's Belly Bacteria to Their Mood and Lifespan

Researchers across California are discovering that the trillions of microbes living in your cat's digestive tract may be pulling strings you never expected — influencing everything from litter box habits to anxiety levels and how long your cat actually lives. The gut-brain connection in cats is turning out to be way more complex and fascinating than anyone predicted. Here's what the science says, and what you can actually do about it.
Sip, Snuggle, Adopt: How California's Cat Cafés Are Changing the Way We Think About Rescue
Cat Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Sip, Snuggle, Adopt: How California's Cat Cafés Are Changing the Way We Think About Rescue

Cat cafés might sound like a quirky trend, but across California, they're quietly doing some serious work — finding homes for shelter cats, reducing human stress, and building the kind of community that animal welfare advocates have always dreamed about. We took a closer look at the movement, and honestly? The numbers are pretty remarkable.
Why Does My Cat Keep Trying to Escape? The Science Behind the Great Doorway Dash
Feline Science & Conservation

Why Does My Cat Keep Trying to Escape? The Science Behind the Great Doorway Dash

Your cat has a perfectly comfortable life indoors — so why does she launch herself at every open door like she's training for the Olympics? Behavioral science has some surprisingly nuanced answers, and they go way deeper than simple curiosity. Here's what's actually going on in that fluffy head, plus what California cat owners can do about it.
Your Cat Is Talking to You Constantly — Here's How to Actually Listen
Cat Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Your Cat Is Talking to You Constantly — Here's How to Actually Listen

Cats have developed a surprisingly sophisticated communication system — and a lot of it is aimed specifically at you. From the pitch of a meow to the angle of a tail, California animal behaviorists are helping owners decode what their cats are really saying. Spoiler: they're way more expressive than their reputation suggests.
Caught in the Middle: California's Outdoor Cats and the Wildlife Tightrope They Walk
Feline Science & Conservation

Caught in the Middle: California's Outdoor Cats and the Wildlife Tightrope They Walk

Feral and free-roaming cats occupy a strange and contested space in California's ecosystems — simultaneously keeping invasive rodent populations in check and posing real threats to native birds and small mammals. The science is complicated, the politics are heated, and the cats, as always, are doing exactly what cats do. Here's what researchers across the state are finding.
Cousins in the Wild: What Mountain Lions Can Teach Us About Our House Cats
Feline Science & Conservation

Cousins in the Wild: What Mountain Lions Can Teach Us About Our House Cats

California is one of the only places on Earth where you can encounter a 150-pound apex predator and a 10-pound lap cat within the same zip code — and it turns out they have a lot more in common than we ever imagined. New research into mountain lion genetics and behavior is quietly reshaping how scientists think about your cat's quirks, instincts, and emotional life.
Fire Season Is Here — Is Your Cat Ready to Evacuate?
Cat Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Fire Season Is Here — Is Your Cat Ready to Evacuate?

California wildfire season doesn't wait for anyone — and neither should your emergency plan if you share your home with a cat. From building a go-bag your feline will actually tolerate to navigating the chaos of a last-minute evacuation, here's everything you need to know before the smoke rolls in.