MSI Press Blog

  Happy Cat (right) protecting Jack (left) as they get ready to take a nap Nobody wanted Jack. He came off the street in a sweep of feral cats headed for the SNIP bus—scruffy, furious, and with one bulging, badly infected eye that had clearly been hurting him for a long time. The eye had to come out. While he recuperated, the SNIP team tried to find him a home, but no one wanted a feral alley cat who hissed, snarled, and made it abundantly clear that hands were not welcome. One of the SNIP volunteers took him in temporarily—something between fostering and triage—to let him heal and calm down. She tried everything. She even put a glove on the end of a three‑foot stick to get him used to touch. But Jack wasn’t having it. No shelter would take him. No adopter wanted him. And she was terrified to put a one‑eyed cat back on the street. So she called me. And that is how one‑eyed Jack found himself in a house full of cats. I set him up in the cat room—food, water, beds, toys, a sunn...

  CB Leaver with Happy Cat There are reasons that people and cats bond so easily (generally). Here are some evolutionary traits that endear cats to humans: 😺 1. Neotenous (juvenile-like) features Cats retain kitten-like traits into adulthood—big eyes, round faces, small noses, soft fur. Humans are biologically wired to respond to “baby schema,” which triggers caregiving behavior. This is not unique to cats, but cats hit the sweet spot: cute, small, non-threatening, and expressive. Why it matters: Humans instinctively interpret these features as “cute,” “vulnerable,” and “worth caring for.” 🧬 2. Genetic and biological similarity to humans Cats share about 90% of their DNA with humans , and many of their biological systems parallel ours. This doesn’t mean we’re closely related—but it does mean their behavior, communication, and emotional expressions fall into ranges humans intuitively understand. Why it matters: We can read cats more easily than we can read many other a...

Bobolink's last loving and painful minutes, nestled against owner, Luna .   Integrating New Cats When Older Cats Are Dying Integrating new cats into an established cat family is always a delicate dance, but it becomes even more complex when one of the older cats is nearing the end of life. The emotions in the household shift—grief, vigilance, and quiet respect settle in—and the dynamics between the cats can change in ways that are subtle, profound, or both. In most cases, the cat who is dying has been part of the family for many years, often serving as a social anchor. The newcomers, in addition to finding their place among the living members, must navigate the emotional space left by the one who is leaving. Snyezhka, Happy Cat, and the Distance of Newcomers When Snyezhka was dying from breast, liver, and lung cancer, it wasn’t the new cats who stepped in to care for her—it was Happy Cat, her longtime companion and the beta heart of the household. Happy Cat washed her when she coul...