#Cats

A growing body of research is shedding light on a delightful strategy for safeguarding cognitive health: keeping a pet dog or cat. As the Thai population rapidly ages and concerns about dementia and memory loss mount, recent international studies provide encouraging evidence that companionship from a furry friend could be a vital, joyful contributor to mental sharpness in later life. The latest findings, published in leading scientific journals and summarized in recent coverage by international and Thai media, point to a nuanced, species-specific association between pet ownership and the pace of cognitive decline.Kiplinger, Nature, The Guardian

If you’ve ever gazed into the soulful eyes of your dog or pondered the enigmatic glance of your cat, you’ve likely wondered: does my pet truly understand me? Recent research—highlighted in a comprehensive feature by The Guardian—delves into the psychological worlds of dogs and cats, raising new questions and challenging old beliefs about our companion animals’ inner lives, especially as millions of Thai households share their homes with beloved pets (The Guardian).

A century-old mystery surrounding the striking orange coats of domestic cats has finally been unraveled by new genetic research published on May 15 in the journal Current Biology (source). Scientists have identified a unique “meow-tation” in feline DNA that not only gives orange cats their distinctive hues, but also explains why the vast majority of them are male—a question that has perplexed geneticists and cat fanciers alike since the early 20th century.