Be a Cat Researcher

Try these five citizen science projects focused on cats

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Track Your Cat
Your Wild Life and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
http://cats.yourwildlife.org

Live with a cat that goes outside? Investigators know very little about where cats go when they leave the home and even less about why some travel the open road and others stay nearby. In this project, set up a GPS cat-tracking device and find out where your cat goes.

Cat Tracking Down Under
Discovery Circle, University of South Australia
www.discoverycircle.org.au/projects/cat-tracker

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Do cats around the world show similar movement patterns? Does the local environment affect how cats roam? This cat-tracking project in South Australia—open to anyone in the region, not just cat owners—will provide a cross-continental comparison of cat behavior. It includes GPS cat tracking, a cat personality test and a general survey.

Genetic and Genomic Resources for Cats
Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/health_discovery/FelineBiobank.cfm

What role do genes play in common feline diseases? By comparing DNA from healthy cats with DNA from cats with one or more common diseases, scientists can better understand the role that genes may play in these conditions. This project could assist veterinarians in their ability to diagnose and treat common diseases. The project is looking for DNA samples from healthy cats more than 10 years old.

New Anticancer Drugs for Mammary Cancer in Cats
Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/health_discovery/Mammaryglandstudy.cfm

Is there a way to stop mammary cancer in its tracks? Help reveal how feline mammary cancer develops and lay the groundwork for new ways to treat it. Investigators are accepting both normal and cancerous feline mammary gland tissue samples from female cats.

Understanding Cat Pain
University of Lincoln, England
http://ucpproject.co.uk

Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience that involves a physical response as well as behavioral change. This project explores the facial, postural and vocal expressions of pain in cats—information that gives owners and veterinarians a leg up on recognizing this emotion earlier so cats can be treated before their welfare is compromised. If you own a cat that you think is in pain, contribute a video or picture. You can also take a quick quiz and check your ability to detect pain in these animals.

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