Articles This week in cat science

Endangered flat-headed cats caught foraging in broad daylight

Oct 9 – 22, 2026 · 3 new studies · 4 min read · Published Fri, Oct 23

Three new cat studies from Oct 9 to Oct 22, 2026: rare flat-headed cats searched puddles for food and appeared in daylight; nearly half of surveyed kidney-disease caregivers reported substantial strain; and 28 of 30 cats could walk eight weeks after spinal surgery. For each one: what the researchers did, the catch, why it matters — and a plain-words version you can read on the sofa.

See the Instagram post Sources are linked under each study.

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Rare flat-headed cats searched puddles for food and appeared in daylight

What they did

Researchers deployed 148 camera units across habitats in Sarawak, Malaysia. They recorded 59 independent sightings, mostly in nibong habitat, including a female with a kitten.

The catch

The study covered one area, and the number of individual cats was not stated.

Why it matters

These endangered wild cats were not active only at night.

In plain words

Rare flat-headed cats were filmed searching shallow puddles for food, and they were not active only at night. Researchers placed 148 camera units across several habitats in a proposed protected forest in Sarawak, Malaysia. The survey ran between August 2021 and May 2024. It captured two still photos and 57 videos, including records of an adult female with a kitten. Most sightings came from nibong habitat, with 49 separate detections, compared with nine in buta-buta habitat and one in nipah swamp. These are counts of sightings, not counts of different cats. The cats often searched for food in shallow water in the nibong habitat, which may help explain why cameras recorded them there more often. Activity peaked around midnight, but cameras also caught them during daylight. Some sightings came on back-to-back days, while other gaps lasted weeks or months. The study covered one area, and the number of individual cats was not known, so the pattern cannot describe the whole species. For these endangered wild cats, the findings show that local habitat use includes both nighttime and daytime activity.

Habitat Preference and Spatiotemporal Habitat Use of the Endangered Flat-Headed Cat in the Proposed Lundu Mangrove Protected Forest, Sarawak, Malaysia Ecol Evol · 2026 · doi:10.1002/ece3.74248 · read the abstract at the source

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Nearly half of surveyed kidney-disease caregivers reported substantial strain

What they did

Researchers surveyed 339 caregivers online about caring for cats with chronic kidney disease. Their scores reached the study’s threshold for significant strain in 46% of responses.

The catch

Volunteers recruited through social media may not represent all caregivers, and the survey cannot establish cause.

Why it matters

Daily efforts to coax cats to eat were linked to greater caregiver strain.

In plain words

Nearly half of the caregivers surveyed about cats with chronic kidney disease reported substantial strain. Researchers recruited people through social media to complete an anonymous online survey about their care experience. They received 339 completed surveys. The questions included a scoring tool for caregiver burden, meaning the strain linked to looking after someone who is ill. In this study, a score of 18 or above marked significant strain, and 46% of respondents reached that level. Caregivers of cats with more advanced kidney disease tended to have higher scores. So did people who rarely or never shared care duties. Daily efforts to coax a cat to eat were also linked to greater strain than never needing to coax them. People who always felt supported by their care team reported lower scores than those who felt supported less often. These are links, not proof that any single part of care caused the strain. The volunteers may also differ from caregivers who did not take part. Chronic kidney disease can affect an owner's daily life as well as the cat's health, with feeding struggles and shared care linked to the burden owners report.

Assessment of caregiver burden in feline chronic kidney disease J Feline Med Surg · 2026 · doi:10.1177/1098612x261497639 · read the abstract at the source

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28 of 30 cats could walk eight weeks after spinal surgery

What they did

Researchers reviewed records of 30 cats with broken or dislocated spinal bones who underwent surgery. At eight weeks, 28 could walk; 23 fully recovered long-term.

The catch

This small records-based study had no comparison group of cats without surgery.

Why it matters

Walking recovery did not always mean full recovery; some cats still had balance or bladder problems.

In plain words

Most cats in this small study could walk eight weeks after surgery for broken or dislocated bones in the spine. Researchers looked back at the records of 30 cats that had surgery and had no earlier disease affecting their brain, spinal cord or nerves. They used follow-up exams, images and phone surveys to track recovery. By eight weeks after surgery, 28 cats could walk. Over the longer term, 23 cats fully recovered. That is an encouraging result, but being able to walk did not always mean that all problems had gone away. Among the cats walking in the long term, six still had trouble sensing where their legs were, which affected their balance and movement. Four cats continued to have trouble controlling urination. Owners rated long-term recovery as good or excellent for 27 of 29 cats with an owner rating. The study had no comparison group of cats that did not have surgery, so it cannot show how much recovery was due to the operation itself. For cats with these spinal injuries, walking again and making a full recovery were different outcomes.

Most cats with a spinal fracture or luxation recover locomotion within 8 weeks of surgery J Am Vet Med Assoc · 2026 · doi:10.2460/javma.26.05.0331 · read the abstract at the source

General information only, not veterinary advice. Studies are summarised from their abstracts and full texts where open; a single study rarely settles a question. If you think your cat is unwell, contact a veterinarian.

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