Felines can be finicky or feisty, aloof or companionable – sometimes seemingly all at once. Do you cuddle up with a cat to escape from your daily grind? Maybe you get your kitteh fix from lolcat memes online. However you choose to celebrate International Cat Day today, please enjoy this paw-pourri of cat coverage from The Conversation’s archive.
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Next best thing to a hidey-hole box?
Maggie Villiger
Nicholas Dodman, Tufts University
Twitter recently blew up with posts wondering about the feline fascination with taped squares on the ground. An animal behavior expert explains it's not magic that draws Fluffy to the #CatSquare.
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Come watch me play!
Paul Reynolds/flickr
Jessica Gall Myrick, Indiana University
Watching a clip of Lil Bub or Grumpy Cat may give you a quick mood boost to get you through a tough workday.
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Deborah Linder, Tufts University
More than half of dogs and cats around the globe are overweight. Are well-intentioned owners to blame?
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Jesse Grady, Mississippi State University
Based on his age in 'dog years,' could your animal pal legally buy alcohol? Or would he be cashing in on his senior discount? Veterinarians are more interested in life stage than a particular number.
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Mikel Delgado, University of California, Berkeley
While cats – with their steely demeanor – have a reputation of being hard to read, humans seem intent on figuring out what they're thinking and feeling.
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Cailin Heinze, Tufts University
Pet food is a multi-billion-dollar industry that consumes huge amounts of animal protein. A veterinary nutrition specialist explains how to feed dogs and cats healthily and sustainably.
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Marc-Antoine Fardin, Université Paris Diderot – USPC
Ig Nobels reward research that first makes you laugh and then makes you think. Investigating the internet meme of fluid felines fits the bill – and adds to the physics field of rheology.
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Bernard Rollin, Colorado State University
In the past, owners were quick to put their pets down. Now, with many viewing pets as family members, are they waiting too long?
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