A cat's origin

Cats and people are depicted together in Egyptian art from nearly 4,000 years ago. An early ancestor of the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, is Miacids, small shrew-like animals that lived about 60 million years ago. This line diverged about 40 million years ago into several groups of carnivores, groups that would eventually become modern-day wolves, bears, cats, weasels, and raccoons. The direct ancestor of Felis silvestris, the modern-day wildcat, is a small animal called Martelli's wildcat (Felis lunensis), which became extinct about 1 million years ago.

Felis silvestris is a wildcat that ranges from Scotland to Africa to India. Its form varies continuously through its range, with heavier-set cats with thick fur to the north, and light-coated, fine-limbed cats in the tropics. There are three main forms of this wildcat: the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), the Asiatic Steppe cat (Felis silvestris ornata), and the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica).

The domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, most likely descended from the African wildcat. Unlike the European wildcat that is impossible to tame, the African form is easier to tame. It's quite possible that early cats were attracted to early human settlements where agriculture was being practiced. They could have been scavengers, but probably served an important function in food storage areas by keeping rodents under control.

Felis silvestris and another cat species, Felis chaus, have been excavated from early Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 BC. While this is not conclusive proof of domestication, it certainly shows that Egyptians held cats in high regard. By 1600 BC, there was firm evidence to show that cats had become valued household members in Egypt; they were depicted in art in the company of their human owners, eating and playing.

Ancient Egyptians had a deep interest in animals, and often associated them with gods. The Egyptian cat-goddess Bastet, worshipped for fertility and good health, started as a member of the crowded pantheon of gods, but by 1000 BC, was elevated as the central figure in a powerful cult. With such esteemed positions in Egyptian society, cats were treasured; they were raised by the wealthy, and upon death, interred in special cemeteries. New cats were brought to Egypt from other places, but Egyptians never allowed their cats to leave the country. Anyone caught ill-treating a cat was severely punished.

Eventually, as the power of the Egyptian empire eroded, so did the reverence for cats. They began spreading across the world with people. Cats were recorded in India around 200 BC, then went on to become established in China and Japan. It is believed that Romans brought the cat to Europe around 400 AD. Moslems had a special fondness for cats because of Prophet Mohammed's affection for his own cat. Unfortunately, cats fell into very hard times during the Middle Ages. They were associated with evil and witchcraft, and were routinely tortured and killed to cast out the devil within them. It wasn't until the mid-17th century, in France, that cats began to be more accepted in European society. In 1822, the British Parliament passed the first anti-cruelty animal law, and two years later, the world's first animal protection society was formed.

The selective breeding of cats did not gain much popularity until the mid-19th century. Cat shows encouraged the interest in breeds, leading to the establishment of breed names and standards.

Currently, there are about 40 breeds recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association. Some cats are quite ancient; the Siamese cat has origins in Thailand dating back to the 1300s but was only introduced to Britain in the 1880s. The Turkish Angora originated in Turkey in the 1400s, and would have become extremely rare if the Turkish government hadn't established a breeding program in the 1960s.

However, many breeds that we see today have only emerged within the past 100 year. Crossing established breeds, such as the elegant Himalayan that was developed in the 1920s by crossing Persians and Siamese cats, created some. The Balinese were developed about 20 years later by crossing Siamese and Angoras.

Some other breeds were developed from chance mutations. A stray kitten, with unusually curved ears, which showed up at the doorstep of a couple in Lakewood, California, in 1981, founded the American Curl breed. The affectionate kitty ended up taking ownership of this couple, and later produced a litter of kittens, two of which had curled ears. Subsequent selective breeding of these cats gave rise to the American Curl.

The most common cats, however, are non-pedigrees, the result of random mating. Each are special and unique cats, both in temperament and appearances. Unfortunately, these are also the cats that most often end up in shelters. Cats that are not spayed and neutered are prolific breeders. Many become feral, or are euthanized if homes cannot be found for them.

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