Ginger cats’ mystery unraveled as Stanford and Kyushu scientists, aided by 200 DNA samples and 3,000 enthusiastic owners, pinpoint a missing DNA fragment. “After doing several hundred cats, you learn what you can get away with,” one researcher quips.

Sequencing revealed orange cats’ unique mutation near the ARHGAP36 gene, a twist on the red-hair pathway in humans. Cat owners eagerly mailed in brushes and cheek swabs, fueling research that bridged science and feline obsession—genetics meets stubborn whiskers.

Collecting cheek swabs from 200 cats required distraction tactics—like head scratches and pep talks.