Family Cats

A study using citizen science tries to help explain why cats love sitting in boxes — even ones that aren't there. What did they find out?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

With a very friendly personality, the Egyptian Mau can be trained to do almost anything a dog can do, from walking on a leash to fetching a ball.

By Patty Rasmussen

The most obvious feature of Manx cats is their lack of a tail, but there is a lot more to them than that, including the fact that they have dog-like personalities and make great pets.

By Patty Rasmussen

The rare Bombay cat is all black, but color alone doesn't make a cat a Bombay.

By Laurie L. Dove

This quirky, but endearing, behavior — also known as 'making biscuits' — is common in all domestic cats. But what is your cat saying when she's mixing dough on your belly?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

The ragdoll habit of turning floppy in their owners' arms is one of the breed's most endearing trademarks. And those eyes ...

By Mark Mancini

A hybrid cross between a small Asian leopard cat and a domestic cat, the Bengal cat will keep you busy with its intelligence and active personality. It may even shower with you.

By Mark Mancini

What do you get when you mix a domestic cat with a wild African serval cat? You get a Savannah cat, which turns out to be a very beautiful but very controversial kitty.

By Mark Mancini

The Maine Coon and the Norwegian Forest are both plus-size breeds of cat, but what are the differences between these feline behemoths?

By Mark Mancini

Persians are famous for their long hair and snub noses. But this is no aloof kitty – they're so friendly, breeders refer to them as "dog cats."

By Dave Roos

Affectionate and haughty at the same time, the Siamese cat exudes an air of mystery. But it still loves to follow you around.

By Mark Mancini

According to some sources, Lewis Carroll based the smiling Cheshire Cat from his 1865 novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" on the British Shorthair.

By Mark Mancini

The most remarkable feature of a Munchkin cat is its short legs, though most litters have both normal-legged kittens and short-legged kittens.

By Laurie L. Dove

Known as the dogs of the cat world, Maine Coons are intelligent, eager to please and love water.

By Laurie L. Dove

The ordinary housecat never seems to get the credit it deserves, even though 95 percent of cats in the U.S. are not purebred. Still these cats have distinctive markings to distinguish them from each other.

By John Perritano

Kittens inherit their coats from their mothers, and no two calico cats look alike. Not even twins.

By Patty Rasmussen

Scratching is a normal feline behavior. That's why many experts advise against putting your cat through a painful and unnecessary declawing procedure.

By John Perritano

Some Sphynx cats may look like mangled bags of brains, but these so-ugly-they're-cute-cats are among the friendliest of felines.

By John Perritano

The American Association of Feline Practitioners wants you to know there's a better way to feed your kitty than just filling his bowl and leaving him to gorge as he pleases.

By John Perritano

If it wasn't for Tesla's cat, we might not have electricity in our homes.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Cats don't just lie on your sofa looking sulky. Some have authored scientific papers, discovered continents and entered politics. Read on to see what we mean.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

A new report shows the benefits of using food puzzles with indoor cats. Here's how to make your own.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Counting the number of housecats around the world is about as difficult as, well, herding cats. In fact, estimates of global cat population vary... by millions.

By Karen Kirkpatrick

Black cats were associated witches in the Middle Ages but even today, black shelter cats have a harder time getting adopted. Why are black cats considered bad luck?

By Bambi Turner

While cats can pose a potential danger to a sleeping baby, most of the risk is due to accidental suffocation not from cats stealing babies' breath.

By Bambi Turner