#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

A growing body of international research suggests that caring for a dog or a cat may support cognitive health as people age. For Thailand’s aging population, these findings offer a practical angle on maintaining mental sharpness as life expectancy rises. New studies indicate that pet ownership may be linked to slower decline in certain thinking skills over decades, with dogs showing notable benefits for memory and recall, and cats contributing to verbal fluency and some memory functions.

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).

Pet lovers in Thailand and around the world often wonder what goes on in a dog’s mind or a cat’s heart. A recent in-depth feature from The Guardian explores the psychology of dogs and cats, challenging long-held beliefs about their inner lives and what empathy truly means for our companion animals. The piece resonates with Thai households where pets are trusted sources of comfort in difficult times.

In Thailand’s bustling cities, millions of households rely on pets for emotional support. The Guardian’s stories recount terriers offering comforting licks, Labradors standing by grieving humans, and Cavachons soothing children with autism. While many Thai families instinctively view their pets as family, researchers question whether animal actions constitute human-style empathy or are driven by other factors such as emotional contagion or simple curiosity.

A long-standing puzzle about why orange cats are so commonly male has been finally explained by new genetic research published in Current Biology. Scientists identified a specific deletion in DNA near the ARHGAP36 gene on the X chromosome. This mutation activates orange fur production, clarifying why most orange cats are male, while females require two copies to display full orange coloration. The discovery also explains why calico and tortoiseshell patterns are predominantly female, due to different X-chromosome inactivation. The findings come from independent studies by teams from a renowned U.S. university and a leading Japanese university, marking a milestone in feline genetics and veterinary science.

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.