What is the origin of domestic cats?

People are confused about where the domestic cats came from.

What is the origin of domestic cats?

People are confused about where the domestic cats came from.

 Researchers also argue about where and when cats became domesticated.

Some of them also say that the felines have resumed themselves.

 Take a look at the various theories regarding this.

The first domesticated cats

About 40 centuries ago, it was believed that the Egyptians domesticated cats. This belief is geographically valid as it relies on DNA evidence; Today's domestic cats have the same ancestors as the African wild cats. In 2004, when a nine-and-a-half-year-old Neolithic tomb was excavated in Cyprus, the remains of a cat appeared alongside a human hint that people cared for cats even 4,000 years ago.

On the other hand, some studies show that cat domestication could have started 12,000 years ago during the flourishing of agricultural industry in the Fertile Crescent (the fertile crescent-shaped land surrounding Egypt and Syria) in the Middle East.

The more cultivation is believed to bring more insects which bring more cats. This is a logical theory considering the fact that even feral cats today keep gathering themselves to go and live in places with plenty of food supply regardless of whether it's a restaurant with abundant scraps or a farm where they can catch insects.

Greek and Phoenician merchants are thought to have brought domestic cats to Europe about 3,000 years ago. Cats are highly regarded by Romans when it comes to pest control, so Roman legionaries take them with them whenever they travel to Gaul (modern France) as well as Britain.

Cats were brought to Britain

When the Romans left Britain about 1,600 years ago, most of their cats stayed behind. About 1,000 years ago when the Vikings invaded Britain, they took a number of domestic cats that the Romans had left behind when they returned to Norway.

Magic

Something unfortunate happened to cats about 700 years ago in Britain. During this Middle Ages, news suddenly spread that cats were suspected of being involved in witchcraft. This is the reason for the cat massacre in Europe and the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of cats. Most people assumed that the slaughter of cats increased the number of mice in Europe, which in turn led to a higher prevalence of bubonic plague from 1346 to 1353.

Cats were introduced to the New World

In the 16th century, cats not only regained their popularity, but also made another huge leap. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, new explorers and merchants from the world left Britain and Spain to introduce domestic cats to the United States.

Current cat

Cats have become very popular and nowadays, there are around 8.5 million pet cats in the UK. They are considered the most popular pets all over the world.

Lots of families have a dog, but many cat owners show their love by having multiple cat families. At present, there are over 100 domestic cat breeds and people keep developing new breeds.

 Researchers also argue about where and when cats became domesticated.

Some of them also say that the felines have resumed themselves.

 Take a look at the various theories regarding this.

The first domesticated cats

About 40 centuries ago, it was believed that the Egyptians domesticated cats. This belief is geographically valid as it relies on DNA evidence; Today's domestic cats have the same ancestors as the African wild cats. In 2004, when a nine-and-a-half-year-old Neolithic tomb was excavated in Cyprus, the remains of a cat appeared alongside a human hint that people cared for cats even 4,000 years ago.

On the other hand, some studies show that cat domestication could have started 12,000 years ago during the flourishing of agricultural industry in the Fertile Crescent (the fertile crescent-shaped land surrounding Egypt and Syria) in the Middle East.

The more cultivation is believed to bring more insects which bring more cats. This is a logical theory considering the fact that even feral cats today keep gathering themselves to go and live in places with plenty of food supply regardless of whether it's a restaurant with abundant scraps or a farm where they can catch insects.

Greek and Phoenician merchants are thought to have brought domestic cats to Europe about 3,000 years ago. Cats are highly regarded by Romans when it comes to pest control, so Roman legionaries take them with them whenever they travel to Gaul (modern France) as well as Britain.

Cats were brought to Britain

When the Romans left Britain about 1,600 years ago, most of their cats stayed behind. About 1,000 years ago when the Vikings invaded Britain, they took a number of domestic cats that the Romans had left behind when they returned to Norway.

Magic

Something unfortunate happened to cats about 700 years ago in Britain. During this Middle Ages, news suddenly spread that cats were suspected of being involved in witchcraft. This is the reason for the cat massacre in Europe and the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of cats. Most people assumed that the slaughter of cats increased the number of mice in Europe, which in turn led to a higher prevalence of bubonic plague from 1346 to 1353.

Cats were introduced to the New World

In the 16th century, cats not only regained their popularity, but also made another huge leap. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, new explorers and merchants from the world left Britain and Spain to introduce domestic cats to the United States.

Current cat

Cats have become very popular and nowadays, there are around 8.5 million pet cats in the UK. They are considered the most popular pets all over the world.

Lots of families have a dog, but many cat owners show their love by having multiple cat families. At present, there are over 100 domestic cat breeds and people keep developing new breeds.