Japanese scientists were able to genetically alter a mouse by removing certain nasal cells to prevent it from distinguishing a cat through it’s sense smell. The result is a mouse fearless of cats. This led to the discovery that a mouse’s fear of cats is genetically determined and not learned after birth.
“Mice are naturally terrified of cats and usually panic or flee at the smell of one. But mice with certain nasal cells removed through genetic engineering didn’t display any fear,” said research team leader Ko Kobayakawa.
“The mice approached the cat, even snuggled up to it and played with it,” Kobayakawa said.
