View this post on Instagram A post shared by National Geographic Animals (@natgeoanimals) Even in this century, new — and in this case happy — natural discoveries await: For the first time in a century, researchers say they’ve identified a new species of wild cat previously unknown to science. Leopardus tilcayo — or the tilcayo tiger cat…

Sadly, North America never had its own true cheetah. The American cheetah, long since extinct, was closer to an American puma: With their slender bodies and long front legs, Miracinonyx trumani—often nicknamed the “American cheetah”—was long thought to be a North American analog of the African big cat. But in a new study published in the journal Current…

Embed from Getty Images Sometimes cats groom each other for friendly reasons … but sometimes not: Morgane Van Belle, another cat behavioral scientist at Ghent University and the study’s lead author, was observing her own cats, Fabio and Giovanni, interacting over a favorite napping spot in the sun and noticed something. “I saw these weird…

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Embed from Getty Images Cats leave meals unfinished not merely because they’ll full, but sometimes because of the meal’s scent: A research group led by Professor Masao Miyazaki at Iwate University, Japan, has now shown that domestic cats may stop eating not only because they are full, but also because smell plays an important role…

Cats are endlessly fascinating, and among their captivating qualities is an ability to land on their feet. An article in The New York Times describes the latest scientific findings: In a paper, published last month in the journal The Anatomical Record, researchers offered a novel take on falling felines. Their evidence suggests new insights into…

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