What your cat is really trying to tell you if they pee everywhere
Plus: A critical anniversary for SpaceX happens this week.
Like many of you reading this newsletter, I hold the esteemed privilege to live in my cat’s home. He is pretty low maintenance as far as cats go — he will eat everything and anything (goldfish crackers included), he sleeps in specific, predictable places, he is very social, and he doesn’t “go” anywhere other than his litter box — as a rule.
Recently, we left him with family to go on vacation, and when we returned, we realized he was not likely to be welcomed back. He’d been peeing — marking — on the carpet outside the upstairs bathroom. He went, and all the family dogs went, too. Now, I think I know why he transgressed, thanks to some fresh reporting by Tara Yarlagadda, our resident nature reporter.
This is an adapted version of the Inverse Daily newsletter for Tuesday, May 24, 2022. Subscribe for free and learn something new every day.
Keep scrolling to read that story and more on Elon Musk and NASA, exercise hacks, and more. Also, lookout for a new byline on this newsletter coming to you in the next week — I’ll be signing off as a new newsletter writer takes up the mantle. Be nice!
Maladaptive daydreaming may warrant its own diagnostic category, research suggests.
New ADHD research reveals clues to “maladaptive daydreaming” condition
For some people, “maladaptive daydreaming” might be a more accurate diagnosis than ADHD, according to a new study. In the study, maladaptive daydreaming is defined as “compulsive fantasy activity characterized by immersive imagination and shifting attention toward a rich inner world while neglecting social, occupational, and academic activities.”
“We believe this is correct although [maladaptive daydreaming] is not yet a formal diagnosis,” says Nirit Soffer-Dudek. She is the study’s lead author, a clinical psychologist, and a senior lecturer at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
The idea that daydreams could edge out reality is certainly curious, and confessional stories that detail what it’s like to experience maladaptive daydreaming offer some clues to life with the condition. But as with many mental health issues, people who have invasive daydreams experience stigma — and even resistance by some clinicians to treat the problem as a medical one.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is a key partner for NASA.
10 years ago, one SpaceX launch showed NASA they could work with Elon Musk
On May 22, 2012, SpaceX launched Dragon C2/3.
The Dragon C2/3, was also the first commercial spacecraft to dock with another spacecraft in orbit — the International Space Station, in SpaceX’s case, on May 25, 2012 — ten years ago on Wednesday. It was also the first commercial spaceship to return cargo back to Earth.
At the time, Musk reportedly stated in a press conference: “This mission heralds the dawn of a new era of space exploration, one in which there is a significant commercial space element.”
He was right. Dennis Stone, a commercial space executive at NASA who was directly involved, says that the mission “heralded a new age of commercial space services.”
These achievements cemented SpaceX’s place as NASA’s go-to private partner for launching crew and goods up to the International Space Station. But it also ignited a debate about public and private partnerships for space science that is still raging today.
At least it’s the toilet.
Why is my cat peeing everywhere?
Veterinarians and others note that there are a number of factors that can lead to your cat peeing outside its litter box. Ultimately, a cat peeing outside its designated spot could be a sign that something is wrong. Inverse breaks down the reasons why your cat might be displaying this behavior and how to help your feline pee in peace.
“Suddenly peeing outside of the litter box can be a signal that something is wrong,” Chyrle Bonk, a veterinarian at PetKeen, tells Inverse.
“There are so many different reasons for why a cat may eliminate outside of the litter box,” Katherine Pankratz, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, tells Inverse.
One reason could be obvious: A medical ailment is preventing your cat from peeing properly in the litter box or causing them to urinate uncontrollably. There’s another reason why your cat might be peeing outside the litter box: territorial insecurity. When cohabitating with other cats, or even seeing other felines out the window, your pet might display territorial behavior such as peeing.
Captain’s Chair, albeit an extreme version.
Most-effective core exercises: Why traditional sit-ups may not be best
Boosting your ab game takes work — and the first step is to let go of the idea that “abs” equates to “core.”
If you don’t build your core strength across different muscle groups, you’ll have a harder time completing exercises that don’t appear to have to do with your core at all. When you consistently work all three muscle areas, your core helps to stabilize your spine and improve your posture, give you greater balance and endurance, and reduce the risk of injury. It can even help with chronic pain.
Fortunately, you don’t need a bulky machine or a gym membership to do core-strengthening workouts.
In fact, the best core-strengthening exercises are doable anywhere there is flat ground. Planks, for example, are a highly effective core-strengthening technique that forces you to work multiple muscles hard within seconds. They also require nothing other than stable, flat ground, and some determination.
If you walk the Brooklyn Bridge today, beware the cyclists!
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- On this day in history: On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge opened for the first time. The bridge was designed by civil engineer John Augustus Roebling. The bridge was the first to use steel as its cable wire.
- Song of the day: “Tallahatchie Bridge,” by Bobbie Gentry.
