Researchers believe that the African wild cat, a yellow, faintly striped animal somewhat larger than present-day felines is the probable ancestor of the domestic cat. Among the reasons for this conclusion are correlations between human and feline habitats during the period when domestication is most likely to have occurred; morphological and behavioral adaptations in the domestic cat, including a hearing apparatus suited to open spaces like the desert; behavioral evidence, the African wild cat is docile and is still easily tamed today; and etymological evidence, the English word cat, the French chat, the German Katze, the Spanish gato, and the modem Arabic quttah, appear to be derived from the Nubian word kadiz, meaning a cat.
Two other varieties may have also contributed to the cat's development: Pallas's cat, which is a long-coated resident of the steppes in Northern and Central Asia, is believed by some experts to be the longhaired cat's distant ancestor; and the never-domesticated European wild cat may have interbred with domesticated cats. The ancestors of the modern-day cat were either ticked, mackerel, or spotted tabbies. The classic (or blotched) tabby pattern seen in the show ring does not occur in any other member of the cat family except Felis catus, the domestic cat, in whom it appeared as an ordinary gene mutation.
Some experts believe that the cat was first domesticated in Egypt, but the probable date of this event is still an approximation. The earliest pictorial representations of cats from Egypt date from the third millennium B.C., but it is often difficult to ascertain whether these animals were wild or domestic. However, from about 1600 B.C. onwards, paintings of cats become increasingly abundant in Egypt, and it seems that these animals were fully domesticated.
Cats were domesticated, whether by themselves or by humans, to hunt vermin and, to a lesser extent, as house pets. As agrarian societies developed, wild cats moved closer to towns and villages, attracted by food and the large populations of rats and mice that thrived in granaries. When cats proved their skill at protecting grain, farmers began feeding them, hoping that they would stay on the job.
Except for the lion and the cheetah, all cats, unlike other domesticated animals, are solitary creatures. Their survival does not depend on membership in a well-structured group. These animals follow their own counsel.
The cat does not transfer its allegiance so easily. Centuries of complete reproductive freedom have also influenced the cat's personality. Until the late 19th century humans exerted almost no control over the cat's choice of mates. Other domesticated animals had been subject to arranged marriages for thousands of years by then, and only the most docile animals were considered as fit subjects.
Therefore, one can argue that the cat has been domesticated, if at all, for little more than a hundred years, and that its domestication did not commence until people began to exert systematic control over its breeding activities. The more extensive the pedigree, the greater the evolution in that animal whose ancestors it records.
Compared to the tenure of the dog, the interval since the cat was first domesticated has been brief. We can only guess at the personalities of those earliest cats who accepted food from humans, and then agreed to accept their companionship as well. In addition, we can only guess at how the cat's personality will be affected by continued selective breeding. However, one thing is certain: those making the selections should base their choices at least as much on temperament as they do on type.
Housecats are known for being independent and inscrutable, not generally characteristics of domesticated animals. Their closest relatives, the large cats, are fierce and aggressive, hardly animals you'd want to cuddle. How did cats come to live among us, as pets and as parts of the family? The story of cat domestication is a long one, with these pets sharing the hearts and hearths of humans for centuries.
There are signs of cats living with humans as far back as 8000 years ago. Cat and human bones have been found together on the island of Cyprus, indicating that the two species cohabited. Historians speculate that cats were first brought indoors to control rodents. As humans began to plant, harvest and store grain, mice and rats became an increasing problem. Cats were probably valued as hunters long before they became the adored members of the family they are today.
Approximately 4000 years ago, domestic cats appeared in Egypt. They were welcomed into the homes of humans, who were considered hosts to the animals, rather than owners. The relationship probably began as a method for keeping huge stores of grain from being eaten and tainted by smaller animals. However, domestic cats were eventually considered to be the living embodiment of the goddess Bastet, and were worshipped accordingly. Ancient tomb engravings depict Egyptians pampering their cats, and the bones of cats are found within those tombs alongside their human companions. One reason that cats don't appear to have been domesticated in other parts of the globe is that it was illegal to export them from Egypt. It was also considered a crime to kill a cat, punishable by death.
During the Middle Ages in Europe, domestic cats fell out of favor. They were rumored to be the familiars, or spirits, of witches. Heretics were supposed to have prayed to the devil in the form of a black cat. We can see the leftovers of these attitudes each year on Halloween. It was also during this time that the idea arose that cats would suck the air from a newborn's nose, suffocating it. Thousands of cats were killed. There is speculation that one reason the bubonic plague spread so quickly is that there were not enough cats left in the cities to keep the rat population at bay.
The early Egyptian cats were felis lybica, a desert species found in Africa and Arabia. Eventually they interbred with the European felis silvestris, and it is this genetic combination we find in the living rooms of the modern family.
Cats are what biologists refer to as exploitive captives. This mutual relationship will come as no surprise to anyone who shares a home with a feline. It means that our cats use us to get what they want and need in life; shelter, food, a safe place to sleep. Although they have been domesticated, cats are never wholly dependent on humans. As any cat lover knows, our feline pets are independent, and stay with us out of affection rather than purely out of dependence.
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