🧬 The Felid Wiki — 3,000 research summaries

Inhibiting the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system with agents such as ACE inhibitors and the angiotensin receptor blocker telmisartan has been studied to reduce proteinuria and protect the kidneys i…

In some social or group-housed felids, subordinate individuals may experience reduced reproduction through social or physiological suppression. This overview surveys reproductive suppression in cats,…

The feline retina can degenerate with age or disease, leading to gradual or sudden vision loss in older cats. This overview surveys retinal degeneration in aging cats, which may arise from age-related…

Retinal ganglion cells are the output neurons of the eye, and their density sets an upper limit on visual acuity. In cats, ganglion cell counts peak in the area centralis and along a horizontal visual…

Return-to-field programs sterilize, vaccinate and return healthy unowned cats brought to shelters rather than euthanizing them, and this overview surveys their rationale and evaluation. It examines ho…

Rhodopsin, the light-sensitive pigment packed into rod outer segments, is the molecular engine of night vision. This survey reviews work on feline rod photoreceptor structure, the stacked membrane dis…

Robenacoxib, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug developed with selectivity for cyclooxygenase-2 and a tissue-selective profile, was studied and licensed for managing pain and inflammation in cats,…

A key reason cats see well in dim light is that many rods feed into each downstream neuron, a wiring strategy called convergence or spatial summation. By pooling the faint signals of hundreds of rods,…

The balance of rods to cones varies sharply across the surface of the cat retina, and that gradient shapes how cats see. Near the area centralis, the small region of peak cone density that handles the…

Older cats commonly lose lean muscle mass through sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle, and cachexia associated with chronic disease, contributing to weakness, reduced resilience, and worse o…

Solitary and group-living cats alike rely on a network of chemical signals to coordinate behaviour without constant contact. This overview surveys research on the feline scent-communication system, in…

Much cat communication is olfactory, and this overview surveys the chemical signalling that structures feline social and territorial life. It covers the main marking behaviours, including urine sprayi…

Cats use a suite of scent marks to communicate about territory, identity, and reproductive status, often without direct contact between individuals. This overview surveys how urine spraying, facial ru…

Solitary cats rely heavily on chemical signals to advertise reproductive status and locate mates across large ranges. This overview surveys how felids use urine spraying, scrapes, cheek rubbing, and g…

Cats deposit scent from glands on the face, flanks, and tail base when they rub against objects, people, and one another, a behaviour called bunting or allorubbing. This overview surveys research on t…

Behavioral and electrophysiological studies have probed how little light a cat needs to see, a quantity called the absolute or scotopic threshold. Estimates generally place feline low-light sensitivit…

Felids scratch trees and other surfaces and create ground scrapes that combine visual marks with scent from glands in the paws. This overview surveys research on the marking function of scratching acr…

Scratching is a normal, important feline behaviour that becomes a problem when directed at furnishings, and this overview surveys its functions and humane management. It examines how scratching mainta…

Cat coats change with the seasons, and this overview reviews moulting and seasonal adjustment of the coat. Many cats grow a denser coat for cold months and shed it for a lighter summer coat, with moul…

Cats living in temperate climates often show seasonal patterns of reproduction, with estrus and breeding concentrated in particular times of year, whereas tropical species may cycle year-round. This o…

Self-control tasks, such as choosing a larger delayed reward over a smaller immediate one, probe impulse regulation and have been studied across many species. This overview surveys the limited researc…

Because cats hide illness and age faster than humans, regular senior wellness screening, including more frequent examinations, blood and urine testing, blood pressure measurement, and weight and muscl…

A growing body of research asks whether cats are sensitive to whether a human is paying attention to them, a basic component of social cognition. This overview surveys experiments testing whether cats…

Ostensive signals such as eye contact and directed speech can mark communication as relevant, and research asks whether cats are sensitive to them. This overview surveys studies on cats' responses to…

Older cats can develop cognitive dysfunction, a decline in mental function that interacts with changes in the senses. This overview surveys the sensory aspects of feline cognitive dysfunction, in whic…

Long thought immune to separation distress, cats are now recognized to sometimes show separation-related problems, and this overview surveys the emerging research. It examines survey and observational…

The sex ratio of felid litters and any biases in maternal investment toward sons or daughters bear on population dynamics and evolutionary theory. This overview surveys evidence for sex ratio patterns…

Cats spread across the globe largely as working passengers on boats, where they controlled rodents that ate cargo and gnawed rigging. This overview synthesizes archaeological, genetic and historical e…

The two cone classes underlying feline color vision are usually described as a short-wavelength (blue-sensitive) cone and a longer-wavelength (green to yellow-sensitive) cone. This survey reviews micr…

The coat and skin together form a protective barrier, and this overview reviews their defensive functions. Fur shields the skin from sun, abrasion, and minor injury, while the skin itself guards again…