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Discovery: How do cats find their way home?

Magazines & Reviews

Title: Cats and Itch – The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry

06/11/2017 GMT

How do cats find their way home?

BBC World Service - Discovery, How do cats find their way home?

Plus, why do we itch and should we scratch?

How do cats find their way home? Plus, why do we itch and should we scratch?

“How on earth do cats find their way back to their previous home when they move house?" asks Vicky Cole from Nairobi in Kenya.
Our enduring love for our feline friends began when Egyptian pharaohs began to welcome domesticated moggies into their homes. Pictured reclining in baskets at the feet of royalty, pet cats soon became fashionable throughout society in Egypt. Today they are the most popular pet in the world, and home is definitely where their hearts lie.
"Whereas dogs are bonded to people, cats are bonded to place," explains zoologist Dr John Bradshaw. "It's very typical for them to try and find their way back to their old house when you move."
But how do they do it? And if their navigational skills are so good, why do they get lost? Prof Matthew Cobb reveals the super-senses that cats possess, and how to spot when your pet is deploying them.
Itchy and Scratchy
"What is an itch and how does scratching stop it? Why does scratching some itches feel so good?!" asks Xander Tarver from West Sussex in England.
Our doctors set off to probe the mysteries of itch, and discover that this overlooked area of medicine is revealing surprising results about the human brain. From why itching is contagious to why scratching is pleasurable, we get under the skin of this medical mystery.
The programme features interviews with neuroscientist Prof Francis McGlone from Liverpool John Moores University and dermatologist Dr Brian Kim from the Center for the Study of Itch at Washington University. Yes, that is a real place.
If you have any Curious Cases for the team to solve please email curiouscases@bbc.co.uk.
Presenters: Adam Rutherford, Hannah Fry
Producer: Michelle Martin
(Photo: Cat, Credit: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

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