diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/NotNull.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/NotNull.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..60ecf0ca6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/NotNull.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package cats
+
+/**
+ * An instance of `NotNull[A]` indicates that `A` does not have a static type
+ * of `Null`.
+ *
+ * This can be useful in preventing `Null` from being inferred when a type
+ * parameter is omitted.
+ */
+sealed trait NotNull[A]
+
+object NotNull {
+  /**
+   * Since NotNull is just a marker trait with no functionality, it's safe to
+   * reuse a single instance of it. This helps prevent unnecessary allocations.
+   */
+  private[this] val singleton: NotNull[Any] = new NotNull[Any] {}
+
+  private[this] def ambiguousException: Exception = new Exception("An instance of NotNull[Null] was used. This should never happen. Both ambiguous NotNull[Null] instances should always be in scope if one of them is.")
+
+  implicit def `If you are seeing this, you probably need to add an explicit type parameter somewhere, beause Null is being inferred.`: NotNull[Null] = throw ambiguousException
+
+  implicit def ambiguousNull2: NotNull[Null] = throw ambiguousException
+
+  implicit def notNull[A]: NotNull[A] = singleton.asInstanceOf[NotNull[A]]
+}
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Validated.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Validated.scala
index a7d998f35f..f35f318f01 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Validated.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Validated.scala
@@ -228,22 +228,28 @@ trait ValidatedFunctions {
    * the resulting `Validated`. Uncaught exceptions are propagated.
    *
    * For example: {{{
-   * val result: Validated[NumberFormatException, Int] = fromTryCatch[NumberFormatException] { "foo".toInt }
+   * val result: Validated[NumberFormatException, Int] = catchOnly[NumberFormatException] { "foo".toInt }
    * }}}
    */
-  def fromTryCatch[T >: Null <: Throwable]: FromTryCatchPartiallyApplied[T] = new FromTryCatchPartiallyApplied[T]
+  def catchOnly[T >: Null <: Throwable]: CatchOnlyPartiallyApplied[T] = new CatchOnlyPartiallyApplied[T]
 
-  final class FromTryCatchPartiallyApplied[T] private[ValidatedFunctions] {
-    def apply[A](f: => A)(implicit T: ClassTag[T]): Validated[T, A] = {
+  final class CatchOnlyPartiallyApplied[T] private[ValidatedFunctions] {
+    def apply[A](f: => A)(implicit T: ClassTag[T], NT: NotNull[T]): Validated[T, A] =
       try {
         valid(f)
       } catch {
         case t if T.runtimeClass.isInstance(t) =>
           invalid(t.asInstanceOf[T])
       }
-    }
   }
 
+  def catchNonFatal[A](f: => A): Validated[Throwable, A] =
+    try {
+      valid(f)
+    } catch {
+      case scala.util.control.NonFatal(t) => invalid(t)
+    }
+
   /**
    * Converts a `Try[A]` to a `Validated[Throwable, A]`.
    */
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Xor.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Xor.scala
index 4472a08cf4..e0f3cc4766 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Xor.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/data/Xor.scala
@@ -217,20 +217,27 @@ trait XorFunctions {
    * the resulting `Xor`. Uncaught exceptions are propagated.
    *
    * For example: {{{
-   * val result: NumberFormatException Xor Int = fromTryCatch[NumberFormatException] { "foo".toInt }
+   * val result: NumberFormatException Xor Int = catching[NumberFormatException] { "foo".toInt }
    * }}}
    */
-  def fromTryCatch[T >: Null <: Throwable]: FromTryCatchPartiallyApplied[T] =
-    new FromTryCatchPartiallyApplied[T]
+  def catchOnly[T >: Null <: Throwable]: CatchOnlyPartiallyApplied[T] =
+    new CatchOnlyPartiallyApplied[T]
 
-  final class FromTryCatchPartiallyApplied[T] private[XorFunctions] {
-    def apply[A](f: => A)(implicit T: ClassTag[T]): T Xor A =
+  final class CatchOnlyPartiallyApplied[T] private[XorFunctions] {
+    def apply[A](f: => A)(implicit CT: ClassTag[T], NT: NotNull[T]): T Xor A =
       try {
         right(f)
       } catch {
-        case t if T.runtimeClass.isInstance(t) =>
+        case t if CT.runtimeClass.isInstance(t) =>
           left(t.asInstanceOf[T])
       }
+  }
+
+  def catchNonFatal[A](f: => A): Throwable Xor A =
+    try {
+      right(f)
+    } catch {
+      case scala.util.control.NonFatal(t) => left(t)
     }
 
   /**
diff --git a/docs/src/main/tut/traverse.md b/docs/src/main/tut/traverse.md
index 767a4816b2..f4de95ce4a 100644
--- a/docs/src/main/tut/traverse.md
+++ b/docs/src/main/tut/traverse.md
@@ -93,10 +93,10 @@ import cats.std.list._
 import cats.syntax.traverse._
 
 def parseIntXor(s: String): Xor[NumberFormatException, Int] =
-  Xor.fromTryCatch[NumberFormatException](s.toInt)
+  Xor.catchOnly[NumberFormatException](s.toInt)
 
 def parseIntValidated(s: String): ValidatedNel[NumberFormatException, Int] =
-  Validated.fromTryCatch[NumberFormatException](s.toInt).toValidatedNel
+  Validated.catchOnly[NumberFormatException](s.toInt).toValidatedNel
 
 val x1 = List("1", "2", "3").traverseU(parseIntXor)
 val x2 = List("1", "abc", "3").traverseU(parseIntXor)
diff --git a/docs/src/main/tut/xor.md b/docs/src/main/tut/xor.md
index 358a4fcee4..6c329c7839 100644
--- a/docs/src/main/tut/xor.md
+++ b/docs/src/main/tut/xor.md
@@ -340,13 +340,20 @@ val xor: Xor[NumberFormatException, Int] =
   }
 ```
 
-However, this can get tedious quickly. `Xor` provides a `fromTryCatch` method on its companion object
+However, this can get tedious quickly. `Xor` provides a `catchOnly` method on its companion object
 that allows you to pass it a function, along with the type of exception you want to catch, and does the
 above for you.
 
 ```tut
 val xor: Xor[NumberFormatException, Int] =
-  Xor.fromTryCatch[NumberFormatException]("abc".toInt)
+  Xor.catchOnly[NumberFormatException]("abc".toInt)
+```
+
+If you want to catch all (non-fatal) throwables, you can use `catchNonFatal`.
+
+```tut
+val xor: Xor[Throwable, Int] =
+  Xor.catchNonFatal("abc".toInt)
 ```
 
 ## Additional syntax
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/ValidatedTests.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/ValidatedTests.scala
index 1e3383201e..3c9ae4d103 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/ValidatedTests.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/ValidatedTests.scala
@@ -26,16 +26,21 @@ class ValidatedTests extends CatsSuite {
     Applicative[Validated[String, ?]].ap2(Invalid("1"), Invalid("2"))(Valid(plus)) should === (Invalid("12"))
   }
 
-  test("fromTryCatch catches matching exceptions") {
-    assert(Validated.fromTryCatch[NumberFormatException]{ "foo".toInt }.isInstanceOf[Invalid[NumberFormatException]])
+  test("catchOnly catches matching exceptions") {
+    assert(Validated.catchOnly[NumberFormatException]{ "foo".toInt }.isInstanceOf[Invalid[NumberFormatException]])
   }
 
-  test("fromTryCatch lets non-matching exceptions escape") {
+  test("catchOnly lets non-matching exceptions escape") {
     val _ = intercept[NumberFormatException] {
-      Validated.fromTryCatch[IndexOutOfBoundsException]{ "foo".toInt }
+      Validated.catchOnly[IndexOutOfBoundsException]{ "foo".toInt }
     }
   }
 
+  test("catchNonFatal catches non-fatal exceptions") {
+    assert(Validated.catchNonFatal{ "foo".toInt }.isInvalid)
+    assert(Validated.catchNonFatal{ throw new Throwable("blargh") }.isInvalid)
+  }
+
   test("fromTry is invalid for failed try"){
     forAll { t: Try[Int] =>
       t.isFailure should === (Validated.fromTry(t).isInvalid)
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/XorTests.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/XorTests.scala
index 369424c3a6..b8f6ebecf2 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/XorTests.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/XorTests.scala
@@ -32,16 +32,21 @@ class XorTests extends CatsSuite {
 
   checkAll("? Xor ?", BifunctorTests[Xor].bifunctor[Int, Int, Int, String, String, String])
 
-  test("fromTryCatch catches matching exceptions") {
-    assert(Xor.fromTryCatch[NumberFormatException]{ "foo".toInt }.isInstanceOf[Xor.Left[NumberFormatException]])
+  test("catchOnly catches matching exceptions") {
+    assert(Xor.catchOnly[NumberFormatException]{ "foo".toInt }.isInstanceOf[Xor.Left[NumberFormatException]])
   }
 
-  test("fromTryCatch lets non-matching exceptions escape") {
+  test("catchOnly lets non-matching exceptions escape") {
     val _ = intercept[NumberFormatException] {
-      Xor.fromTryCatch[IndexOutOfBoundsException]{ "foo".toInt }
+      Xor.catchOnly[IndexOutOfBoundsException]{ "foo".toInt }
     }
   }
 
+  test("catchNonFatal catches non-fatal exceptions") {
+    assert(Xor.catchNonFatal{ "foo".toInt }.isLeft)
+    assert(Xor.catchNonFatal{ throw new Throwable("blargh") }.isLeft)
+  }
+
   test("fromTry is left for failed Try") {
     forAll { t: Try[Int] =>
       t.isFailure should === (Xor.fromTry(t).isLeft)