Category: cats

Betty’s gotten some amazing new photos of the cats in our new place, so here goes:

Cats really do rule the world. Okay, not really. Actually, toxoplasma rules the world:

Unlike Plasmodium, however, which can rely on the natural behaviour of mosquitoes to spread it around, Toxoplasma’s rodent hosts have a strong aversion to helping it into its next home. Which is where, in Dr Webster’s elegant phrase, fatal feline attraction comes in. Rats and mice infected with Toxoplasma start wandering around and drawing attention to themselves—in other words, behaving in ways that will bring them to the attention of cats. They are even, Dr Webster’s work suggests, attracted to the smell of cats.

It’s like science fiction.

(thanks to my friend Mendel for this one)

I forgot to mention the other day that those stunning photos were by Betty; she’s been taking some amazing photographs of the campus since fall. She’s also taken a few really great ones of our kittoi; this is Aurora on her double-harness deciding that she does not like snow.

And no, it doesn’t amaze me to find out my lovely wife has yet another fantastic skill.

More, for your amusement while we’re on the road:

We drive from Brooklyn, NY to a hotel in Elyria, OH today.