Cats have captivated humans for millennia—worshipped as deities, feared as witches’ familiars, and meticulously bred to match our ever-shifting aesthetic whims. Today, they reign supreme as internet sensations, embodying both adorable fluffiness and enigmatic aloofness. Tim Flach, renowned animal photographer, delves into this complex relationship in his new book, Feline, a stunning visual exploration of these creatures that intertwine so deeply with our lives.
More than 170 of Flach’s striking photographs fill the pages, showcasing the diversity within the feline world—from sleek Siamese to fluffy Persians. But Feline goes beyond mere aesthetic beauty. It delves into the science behind our fascination. Neuroscientist Morten Kringelbach and evolutionary biologist Jonathan Losos contribute insights into what makes cats so compelling.
One striking example is Stella, a Cornish Rex from Canada, whose unusual appearance stems from genetic quirks during her embryonic development. She embodies the captivating peculiarity that often marks cat breeds—a trait Losos highlights in his exploration of the genetics behind feline diversity. Notably, he points out that cats with mismatched eyes (often featuring one blue eye) frequently appear among entirely white felines.
Flach also features internet stars like Atchoum, a long-haired Persian whose excessive hair growth due to hypertrichosis has garnered him over 900,000 Instagram followers. And then there’s Zuu, an exotic shorthair who embodies the concept of “cuteness” itself—a perfectly rounded fluffball impossible to resist.
Kringelbach explores in Feline how this phenomenon of “cuteness” works its magic. In mammals and birds, it’s a strategy used by young to elicit care from adults. Big eyes, round features, and prominent heads are universally appealing baby traits that trigger our instinct to nurture—activating the orbitofrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for processing emotions. This evolutionary response isn’t limited to our own species; cats also activate this reward zone in humans.
In a fascinating experiment, Flach scanned his own brain while looking at Loki, his longhair domestic cat. He observed his orbitofrontal cortex lighting up within 130 milliseconds—a reaction faster than conscious thought. “You can see how cuteness is unfolding,” says Flach, highlighting the subconscious power of these feline features.
But cuteness isn’t a cat’s only evolutionary advantage. They are masterful hunters, perfectly adapted for their quarry. An eight-week-old Sphynx kitten named Valentine leaps playfully for a toy in one of Flach’s images, demonstrating their natural agility and predatory instincts.
Cats possess an incredible sense of smell—up to 40 times more powerful than our own. Their whiskers act as finely tuned sensors, detecting subtle vibrations crucial for navigating in darkness and closing in on prey. Even their tongues are specialized tools: covered in keratin spikes similar to those found in our nails and hair, they serve not only for grooming and eating but also play a role in scent detection. The rough texture helps transfer pheromones to the vomeronasal organ at the roof of their mouth.
Perhaps no feature is as captivating as a cat’s eyes. Historically shrouded in superstition—their brightness interpreted as demonic reflections— these orbs actually shine thanks to a special reflective layer called tapetum lucidum. This structure reflects unabsorbed light back through the retina, allowing cats to see six times better in low light conditions than humans. Losos explains that their high density of rod cells (responsible for night vision) and ability to dilate pupils widely contribute to this exceptional visual acuity.
Flach went to extraordinary lengths to capture these mesmerizing eyes. Using specialized lenses and high-speed flash, he captured the tapetum lucidum in a way never before seen—a shimmering effect resembling “a lighthouse light, like a mirror,” as Flach describes it.
Feline offers a multifaceted portrait of our feline companions: scientifically insightful, visually arresting, and ultimately, a celebration of their enduring power to captivate us.
