Blog | Darwin's Ark

The questions that unite pet owners

Published on August 19, 2026

From ancestry to aging, the mysteries that fascinate pet owners are the same ones that scientists are working to answer.

Cat ancestry 201: What makes a breed?

Published on July 15, 2026

Every cat’s genome tells the story of its ancestry. Only some have a chapter on breed.

2026: The year of the kitten

Published on June 17, 2026

A new report from Hill’s Pet Nutrition highlights growing research interest in kitten development and the need for better feline data.

Thinking outside the litter box

Published on May 20, 2026

Darwin’s Cats’ new urinary health survey is the first questionnaire of its kind to study a targeted—and common—category of feline health conditions.

A picture of DNA sequencing with the letters ACTG

How and why Darwin’s Ark studies pet DNA differently

Published on May 13, 2026

How community science, whole genome sequencing, and large datasets help researchers uncover new insights about cats and dogs

Celebrating Charlie Lieu: Our community science superstar!

Published on April 16, 2026

Building a community-powered pet genomics platform and leaving a lasting legacy.

From fur strands to sequences: The journey of your cat’s DNA

Published on April 9, 2026

Your cat has a unique story written in their DNA. Learn how Darwin’s Cats’ sequencing research is reading that story, letter by letter.

Women in Science Q&A: Dr. Kasia Bryc

Published on February 17, 2026

From studying human ancestry to decoding cat genetics, Kasia Bryc shares her computational career story and explains how embracing diversity makes science more powerful.

Seeing double? A domestic cat with a tabby coat pattern (left) closely resembles its ancestor, the African wildcat (right).

Cat ancestry 101: Evolution & wildcat connections

Published on January 21, 2026

Why cat ancestry isn’t like dog ancestry—and how genetics is revealing the story of the domestic cat.

Cat with white and brown fur stands amid a celebration scene with colorful balloons and confetti

A breakthrough year for feline science

Published on December 17, 2025

From fur-based DNA sequencing to unprecedented growth, 2025 marked a defining year for Darwin’s Cats.

Darwin's Cats purr-sonality profiles

Published on November 12, 2025

How your survey answers showcase your cat’s unique traits

Long-haired tabby cat with grey and white fur and green eyes is examined by a veterinarian.

Surveying the cat health landscape

Published on October 29, 2025

Darwin's Cats’ latest survey asks big questions about cat health conditions and their potential genetic roots.

Kitten sits on its hind legs and reaches its front left paw towards a large DNA double helix oriented to look like a sign post.

Fur-thering DNA sequencing science

Published on September 17, 2025

Fur-based sequencing is powering our groundbreaking feline research. What else could it help scientists discover?

Darwin's Ark on display at the pet science fair

Published on August 19, 2025

Cambridge's community comes together for cats, dogs, and scientific discovery.

Seven cats with various coat colors and patterns sit in a line against a white background.

Meet the Darwin's Cats

Published on July 16, 2025

Curious about the thousands of fabulous felines in the Darwin’s Cats community? Pounce into this cat census based on your survey responses.

Orange cat lies against a teal background with the words "Darwin's Cats Science Talk" in the background.

Darwin’s Cats Science Talk: A conversation with our researchers

Published on June 17, 2025

Our scientists answered cat genetics questions in Darwin’s Ark’s first-ever webinar.

Four orange cats sit side-by-side in front of a black background and behind the organizational logos for Darwin's Ark, the Broad Institute, UMass Chan Medical School, and Hill's Pet Nutrition.

Darwin’s Cats: A partnership with purr-pose

Published on April 24, 2025

Darwin’s Ark teams up with Hill’s Pet Nutrition and leading research institutions to improve cat well-being through community-powered genetics research.