Hidden Magnolia

07/03/2025

06/29/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19KwJj4JmH/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Felines who fetch are an evolutionary mystery, Katherine J. Wu wrote in 2023. https://theatln.tc/8zSVUsBF

When her cat Calvin retrieved a yarn puff that Wu’s husband had offhandedly tossed across the apartment, Wu was “gobsmacked.” But Calvin, it turns out, isn’t that much of an exception. Cats that fetch are a minority, but not an extreme minority. Though data on the topic are limited, one 1986 study found that nearly 16 percent of cats reportedly fetch. Newer data suggest that the percentage might be higher.

Repeatedly retrieving a single object isn’t a regular occurrence in the wild; domestic dogs fetch because we bred them to do so, Wu writes. But if fetching seems to come naturally to a subset of felines, that would make sense from an evolutionary perspective. “Fetching is just a sequence of four behaviors: looking, chasing, grab-biting, and returning,” an evolutionary biologist explained to Wu. “Versions of the first three are already built into predators’ classic hunting repertoire.” The returning part of fetching could be drawn from feline mothers’ habit of bringing live prey back to their kittens to teach them how to hunt, or moving food to a safer area to eat, a behavior seen in both feline sexes.

Most fetching seen in felines seems to be initiated by the felines themselves, not, as with dogs, by humans. Both cats and dogs love a good chase, “but the average canine probably gets much more of a thrill out of obeying and pleasing us,” Wu continues. “The weirdness of cat-fetching can make it all the more special to the people lucky enough to experience it for themselves … Calvin needs me for a lot of things—food, water, tooth-brushings, veterinary care. But when he explicitly invites me to play with him, I’m transported to a part of his universe that feels especially intimate. He is choosing to have fun but also expressing that he’d prefer to do it with me.“

📸: Getty

06/29/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1AxNnbpd8S/?mibextid=wwXIfr

06/28/2025

Quince is looking for her new throne. She is retired and spayed. She needs to be an only cat and would do best in a house without small children. She would probably tolerate a respectful dog, but a slow integration would work best. She is wicked smart and has strong opinions about her rights and place in the world. If you are patient, she will love you as much as you are worthy.

06/27/2025

Silver Shaded
SiSi & Edur

06/12/2025

Estella is now living her best life lording it over the new puppy in our house.

05/25/2025

Silver Shaded Chinchilla & Sunshine
Silver British Shorthair
SiSi & Edur

05/22/2025

I need an update on Bernie. What a darling he was as a bebe.

Bernie went home with his new family yesterday. I’d say he’s adjusting well. He’s not going to be spoiled at all.

05/12/2025

Glamor Girl
Silver British Shorthair
SiSi & Edur

05/09/2025

Silver Shaded
Silver British Shorthair
SiSi & Edur