A Brief History About CatsIt's hard to believe there was ever a time when cats were not an integral part of human daily lives but archeological evidence from excavations at Khirokitia, an early human settlement on Cyprus, revealed a cat jawbone dated approximately 6000 BCE (before current era). The significance of the find was that no fossil record of wild cats was found on Cyprus before that date suggesting people brought cats with them to the island. The evidence implies that something like 8,000 years have passed since cats first decided to hang out with humans and let us feed and tend to them. That's hardly a blink in the grand span of life on this planet. The simple truth is that cats were thriving on their own and didn't need us to survive. After agriculture prompted large scale storage of grains, mice and rats were attracted to human settlements. The grain attracted rodents and the rodents attracted local feral cats because they consider rodents to be tasty treats. As a result, cats began to inhabit dwellings close to human settlements because it was beneficial to them. Eventually, cats being cats, they moved right on in and cohabitation proved to be mutually beneficial. A scientific report synopsis originally published in Science, July 1, 2007 concludes "Cat Domestication Tied to Rise of Agriculture". Early Domestic Cat HistoryWhere were the first domestic cats? Perhaps the best clue lies in where agriculture was first practiced. According to PrimalSeeds.org: "The practice of agriculture first began around 8000 BC in the Fertile Crescent of Mesopotamia (part of present day Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Jordan which was then greener). This region was home to the greatest diversity of annual plants and according to one study 32 of the 56 largest grass seeds." In A Brief History of Mesopotamia, the author starts out: "About ten thousand years ago, the people of this area began the agricultural revolution. Instead of hunting and gathering their food, they domesticated plants and animals, beginning with the sheep. They lived in houses built from reeds or mud-brick, grouped in villages where they tended their crops. They built granaries to store their grain, and they began developing a token system to record trade and accounts." Within this area ranges the African wild cat, Felis libyca. Wild Cats and WildcatsAfrican wild cats are slightly larger that our modern house cats and are yellow in color with muted stripes. These cats have a docile, almost laid back nature. Interestingly, these cats still tend to live and hunt near human dwellings today. Locals still like to catch and rear young wild cats as pets. When mature, wild cats raised by humans tend to behave very much like our familiar house cats. A very good case can (and has) been advanced designating Felis libyca as the principal founding population for domestic cats. At least two other varieties of wild cat are speculated to have contributed to the genetic make up of domestic cats. One is Felis silvestris, The European wildcat who appears to have contributed darker markings and a peppery spirit to the African wild cat base. Also, from Asia, comes the Pallas or Steppe cat (Felis manul) that appears to have contributed long-haired coats to the mix. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ justifies including them on their radar by saying: "The Wildcat is the most common and widely distributed wild cat, and thus listed as Least Concern. However, hybridization or interbreeding with domestic cats is extensive, and taking place almost across the entire range (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Sunquist and Sunquist 2002, Macdonald et al. 2004, Phelan and Sliwa 2006, Driscoll et al. 2007)." Ancient Evidence of Domestic CatsThe early period of domestication of cats is vague with only patches of evidence. However, by 6,000 B.C. statues found in Anatolia (now Turkey) show women playing with domestic cats. Cats had clearly become common and affectionate pets by that time. The earliest written records about cats appear by approximately 4,000 B.C. in Egypt where they were frequently kept to hunt mice and rats from stored grains. It was a good time to be a cat in ancient Egypt. Domestic cats were thought to be the embodiment of the goddess Bastet (Bast). There was a necropolis at her principal temple at Bubastis which contained mummified cats.
Romans Throughout Europe Spread Domestic CatsRomans spread the domestic cat northward into central Europe and westward to Britain during the expansion of their empire. Cats were quickly adopted and admired as great hunters. And they continued to move north and east in Europe. The Vikings used cats as both rodent hunters and pets. The Viking goddess of love and war, Freyja, was associated with cats. Huge winged cats drew her chariot. It also became the custom to give new brides a kitten in her name. The Middle Ages it were a very bad time to be a cat. Cats were said to be witches familiars, in league with the devil. Because of this superstition, cats were routinely killed during festivals. Sometimes they were even burned alive or thrown off tall buildings. The Europeans paid heavily for their cruelty to cats. The deaths of so many cats allowed the rodent population to rise out of control, bringing in the Black Death which killed so much of the European population. Eventually, the cat's clean ways and hunting prowess redeemed them in the eyes of the people of Europe. By the 1600s, people in France began putting little holes near the bottom of their doors to allow their cats to enter and leave as they please. Asian CatsIn Asia cats continued to be familiar hunters and cherished pets. Cats were often subjects for drawing and painting in China. In Japan, cats in the form of Maneki Neko, usually portrayed as a sitting cat with one paw raised and bent, are considered good fortune. They are often found in businesses to draw in money. The history of cats is a fascinating one, worthy of much more in-depth study. It fosters an appreciation for the personalities and talents of our pets. This brief history about cats barely scratches the surface of our long entwined cohabitation and mutually beneficial tolerance but hopefully you have found something of value on this page. |
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