A Short History Of Cats

It seems strange that there was ever a time when cats were not a part of our lives. It's been less that 10,000 years since cats swaggered into our lives.
So Why were cats so late to join our team? The simple answer is that they didn't need us to survive. These independant animals were surviving just fine on their own. Then, people discovered how to use agriculture to produce crops on a large scale. Agriculture resulted in large scale storage of grains which attracted the usual well known group of freeloaders, mice and rats.
In turn the rodents attracted the cats who consider them tasty meals. The result was that cats began to follow their basic diet into our world and set up housekeeping close to human settlements. Eventually, cats being cats, sort of invited themselves into our homes and have been nearby ever since. The simple reason for them being with us today is that they require food on a regular basis and in return will sometimes provide us with their affections.


But who or where did cats first emerge?
The first clue lies in where agriculture was first practiced. History shows us that
Agriculture first took root (no pun intended) in the Middle East, in a great sweep from modern day Turkey to Egypt. Within this area ranges the African wild cat,
Felis libyca. African 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 that are raised by humans tend to behave very much like our familiar housecats. 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 our 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 early documented history of domestication of cats is vague with only patches of evidence available. However, by 6,000 B.C. statues found in Anatolia (modern Turkey) show women playing with domestic cats. So 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 Bast (or Bastet). There was a necropolis at her principal temple at Bubastis that contained mummified cats.

Romans 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.

During the Middle Ages however it became rumoured that 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 with it the Black Death which killed so many from the European population. Eventually, the cats' cleanly 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.

In 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. It may also help you to train your cat, as you begin to understand how they react and to know what they want.