kitties

STUDY: Cats Prefer to Watch Human Videos on the Internet

It’s a well documented fact that cat videos power the Internet (a study from broadband research company Sandvine found that after Netflix, cat videos account for the greatest amount of Internet traffic). But what do cats like to watch? 

Until recently it was assumed that cats, when they cared about the Internet at all, would mostly just read financial websites and brush up on their Sun Tzu on Kindle. Turns out, however, cats aren’t all that different from us.

A new study out of Columbia University has found that what cats really like to do online is watch human videos.

“We found that nothing lights up the pleasure center of a cat’s brain like a video of a person doing something stupid,” said researcher Todd Wachowski. “In fact, once we dug into the stats, we found that half of the views on that video of Brian Williams singing Rapper’s Delight are from cats.”

Via iamthegreatwent.

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Kitten Dreams of Being Top Programmer

by Anna Washenko, FluffPo Correspondent

At the tender age of two, Mittens already knows what she wants to be when she grows up: a software engineer. The coding prodigy has already created several high-quality works, including an app for rating brands of cat chow and a casual mobile game about stalking birds. 

“She seems happiest at her laptop, keys clattering under her paws,” according to her mentor, Robin Carlisle. “That’s the kind of dedication you look for in a star programmer.” 

Mittens is already hard at work on a new project. Code-named Red Dot, it’s a hunting simulation that entertains while honing predator skills. She’s considering making a series of educational games for today’s tech-savvy young kittens. 

Via dougwoods.

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PHOTO OP: Stretch

Via junidacat.

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PHOTO OP: Treats, Please!

Via Leia1979.

Love animals as much as we do? Learn more about wildlife conservation at explore.org.

Cat Sushi Master Passes on Her Craft

Feline sushi master Suki announced over the weekend that she will be retiring in 2015. The cat has been drawing crowds to her tiny eight seat sushi restaurant in London’s South Kensington area since it opened six years ago. The current wait list for reservations is three months long, and a ten plate tasting menu costs £250.

“Suki is pushing twelve years old now, and it’s time for her to retire,” said noted food critic Augustus Hale, who once proclaimed that Suki’s sushi was the best in Europe.

According to the cat’s official Twitter page, she has been teaching the art of sushi preparation to her younger brother, Hari, for the past three years. Hari will be taking over the shop after Suki’s retirement.

“If not for Suki, I think Hari would be the best in Europe,” said Hale by email. “but he’s still only maybe 75% of the way to Suki’s mastery.”  

Via hari_suki.

Love animals as much as we do? Learn more about wildlife conservation at explore.org.