🧬 The Felid Wiki — 3,000 research summaries

Cats and dogs differ in how they handle water, and this overview reviews the comparison and its roots in feline biology. Cats, descended from desert-adapted ancestors, tend to have a lower thirst driv…

Cats need more dietary protein than many mammals, and this overview reviews the metabolic basis. Feline liver enzymes that break down amino acids for energy operate at a relatively high, less adjustab…

Cats hear across an exceptionally wide frequency range, and this overview reviews its extent and predatory value. Feline hearing extends well into ultrasonic frequencies, higher than humans and even m…

Cat claws are often called retractable, but they are more accurately protrusible: at rest they are held back by elastic ligaments, and muscles actively pull them forward into action. This overview exp…

Compared with dogs and bears, cats have notably short, deep snouts, and this overview explains the biomechanical payoff. Shortening the rostrum moves the canine teeth and carnassials closer to the jaw…

The cheetah is the classic exception to feline claw retraction: its claws remain largely exposed, blunt, and dog-like. This overview reviews the functional reasoning that this trades the sharp, sheath…