Discovery

How do cats find their way home?


Listen Later

“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 [email protected].

Presenters: Adam Rutherford, Hannah Fry

Producer: Michelle Martin

(Photo: Cat, Credit: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

DiscoveryBy BBC World Service

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

940 ratings


More shows like Discovery

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

863 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,808 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,018 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

1,996 Listeners

The Naked Scientists Podcast by The Naked Scientists

The Naked Scientists Podcast

599 Listeners

Nature Podcast by Springer Nature Limited

Nature Podcast

756 Listeners

Health Check by BBC World Service

Health Check

93 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

410 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

429 Listeners

Science Magazine Podcast by Science Magazine

Science Magazine Podcast

818 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

756 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

746 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

227 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

363 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

471 Listeners

People Fixing the World by BBC World Service

People Fixing the World

240 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

779 Listeners

The World, the Universe and Us by New Scientist

The World, the Universe and Us

116 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,010 Listeners