A Virus Scientist’s Secret Weapon: His Cat, Pepper

A Florida virus researcher has an incredibly effective new research assistant: his cat, a black domestic shorthair named Pepper! Pepper’s penchant for hunting (and gifting) provided her owner with the perfect test subject for viruses in the local wildlife.

Here’s the incredible story of how Pepper the housecat-slash-virologist helped her owner, John Lednicky, Ph.D., discover not one but two new viruses. Pepper has even recently taken on a trainee…

Pepper Discovers Her First Virus

Pepper the cat ...