A human “body farm” has discovered that domestic cats have been breaking into their facility in Colorado and feasting on the remains of test bodies.
As reported in the Journal of Forensic Sciences’ November issue, a facility in Whitewater, CO has observed and recorded at least two instances of feral cats eating the remains of test subjects. The behavior is relatively rare, and resembles the activities of wild bobcats who also scavenge at these places. The behavior patterns of the domestic cats seem to match those of the bobcats. In the past, the animals preferred different areas to eat, so the new results are puzzling.
“Body farms” are increasingly being used to study how human remains decompose in a natural environment. The research is obviously used by forensic scientists, as well as archaeologists and anthropologists to reveal clues as to how the human body decomposes as well as how they are scavenged by wildlife.
More details in a Newsweek article on the incidents.