Ever wonder why your cat sprints after using the litter box or insists on sitting on your most important papers? Scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, along with UMass Chan Medical School, are trying to find out. Their new initiative, Darwin’s Cats, is building a massive database of feline behavior and genetics to better understand what makes our cats tick.
Inspired by a similar dog-focused project, the study invites cat owners to submit fur samples and complete detailed surveys about their pet’s quirks. Researchers aim to gather data from 100,000 cats by mid-2026, making it the largest feline behavior-genetics database ever created. The goal is to uncover genetic links to traits like personality, physical features, and health conditions. With nearly 5,000 cats already signed up, the study is off to a purr-fect start.
From mysterious bread preferences to playful mischief, scientists are on a mission to finally answer our biggest cat questions.