Various investigators have proposed that "scientific geniuses" are polymaths. To test this hypothesis, autobiographies, biographies, and obituary notices of Nobel Prize winners in the sciences, members of the Royal Society, and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences were read and adult arts and crafts avocations tabulated. Data were compared with a 1936 avocation survey of Sigma Xi members and a 1982 survey of arts avocations among the U.S. public. Nobel laureates were significantly more likely to engage in arts and crafts avocations than Royal Society and National Academy of Sciences members, who were in turn significantly more likely than Sigma Xi members and the U.S. public. Scientists and their biographers often commented on the utility of their avocations as stimuli for their science. The utility of arts and crafts training for scientists may have important public policy and educational implications in light of the marginalization of these subjects in most curricula.

Background: In contrast to dogs, the causes and outcomes of urinary incontinence (UI) in cats are largely unknown.Objectives: To determine the causes, identify comorbid conditions, and assess outcomes of cats with micturition disorders presenting as UI.Animals: Forty-five cats with UI.Methods: Retrospective study. Medical records of cats presented from January 2006 to December 2017 were searched using 45 keywords related to UI. History, presenting complaint, and physical examination findings were used to confirm a diagnosis. Cases were categorized based on functional and anatomic localizations.Results: Forty-five cats met inclusion criteria. Spinal cord disease was the most common cause of UI (n = 18), followed by urethral (n = 17), bladder (n = 9), and ureteral (n = 1) disorders. Proportions of voiding and storage phase disorders were similar (53% and 47%, respectively). However, voiding-phase disorders were observed more frequently in males and younger-aged cats (P < .03). Urinary tract infection was detected in 11 of 28 (39%) cats. Outcomes were available in 38/45 cases; 16 cats (42%) regained continence, 3 (8%) improved with treatment, and 19 (50%) remained incontinent or were euthanized. Multiple variable logistic regressions indicated that spinal cord disease was significantly more likely to be associated with poor outcomes compared to bladder or urethral disorders (P < .04).Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Urinary incontinence in cats was associated with a variety of congenital and acquired disorders that affected both phases of micturition with similar frequency. Incontinent cats with spinal cord disorders were common and warrant a more guarded prognosis than do cats with bladder or urethral disorders. K E Y W O R D S bladder, ectopic ureter, FIC, spinal cord disease, ureter, urethra, urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence, urinary tract infection 1 | INTRODUCTION Urinary incontinence (UI) is encountered uncommonly in cats, 1,2 andclinical observations indicate that the frequency and causes of UI in Abbreviations: FeLV, feline leukemia virus; FIC, feline idiopathic cystitis; IQR, interquartile range; IVDD, intervertebral disk disease; UI, urinary incontinence; USMI, urethral sphincter mechanism incontinence; UTI, urinary tract infection.