David H Grimm: Journalist, Author, Teacher

Cults! Egypt! Murder! Cats?

The Ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet. (Credit: Eternal Space, Wikimedia Commons). Cats and dogs are about as different as… well… cats and dogs. But one thing they have in common, at least from a scientific perspective, is that researchers don’t know exactly where or when either one arose.

‘The million dollar question.’ Why did only cats and dogs become beloved pets?

Leopard cats were on the “doorstep to domestication” in China before housecats moved it. (Credit: Kuribo / Wikimedia Commons.) We tend to take cats and dogs for granted. Maybe it’s because they’re everywhere. Maybe it’s because we just can’t imagine any other animals as such beloved companions.

How much do cats think about their own bodies?

Like any good liquid, Spud conforms to the shape of a box. (Credit: David Grimm) If you’ve ever seen a cat ooze under a door or spill into a vase, you’ll understand why some people consider cats liquids.

Do goats rival dogs on social smarts?

A curious goat I photographed at FBN When I write about cognition and domestication, I’m almost always writing about cats and dogs. But this year I had a unique opportunity to write about farm animals.