Beginning time of the domesticated cat:

[pk]

Cats were first domesticated over 5000 years ago and have since became one of the most popular pets in the world. In several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, there are more cats than any other pet. Domestic cats now live on every continent except Antarctica and have evolved into over fifty distinct breeds.


Cats were first domesticated by the Egyptians around 3000 BC by accident. Ancient Egyptians stored their food in woven baskets and their storage areas were infested with rodents. The rodent problem was quite a plague; much of the Egyptians' food and grains were eaten or destroyed by the rodents, who easily chewed through the reed containers. Rats and mice swarmed the Egyptian cities, and with no traps, poisons or other devices to fight against the rodent population, there was not much the Egyptians could do about it. At some point the African Wildcat, a small yellow cat with black stripes, the ancestor of modern day domestic cats, began coming into the cities to feast on the abundance of rodents. The Egyptians welcomed their new neighbors when they realized that the Wildcats were killing off the rodents. Many people began leaving small scraps of food outside their houses to encourage the Wildcats to hunt at their home. The cats soon began to stay in the cities because there they had more than enough to eat. The cats were also protected from being hunted because their predators in the wild would not dare come near humans. The cats and humans seemed to be well matched for each other.

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[MrKhay]

The Human/Cat relationship dates back to ancient times. The Muslim Prophet Mohammed is said to have found a sleeping cat on his robe, and rather than disturbing the slumbering cat, he opted to cut a hole in his robe.

Archaeologists have discovered evidence of Human, Cats, and Mice buried together on the island of Cyprus that dates back to 6000 BCE (Bisno, 1997). Cats have become a highly regarded member of many cultures for a variety of reasons. Their mouse catching skills, cleanliness, attitude, and beauty, just to name a few. Female cats have also recently been recognized for their strong mothering instinct. One high profile cat ran back into a burning house exactly enough times to save each of her kittens from the blaze. Cats can be adopted from the Humane Society, bought at a pet store, bred, or rescued off the street, but their contribution to the household they are in is invaluable. Ancient Egyptians embraced the cat as no other culture has as a helpful addition to the household, because of their ability to ward off rodents that ate the grain supply, and not eating any grain themselves.

Word is that today's domesticated tabby is a descendant of the ancient cat of Egypt. They were also used to help hunters. They retrieved birds from marshes, much like dogs. From 1000-350 BCE, however, cats were also seen as deities, and worshipped as such.

[CarolsCritterCare]

More than 50 million years ago, a small, "weasel-like" animal called "Miacis" roamed the Earth. Most scientists now believe that this animal was the ancestor of today's domestic cat, as well as the ancestor for other mammals including raccoons, dogs and bears. It was about 40 million years ago that actual members of the cat family first appeared

As early as 3500 B.C., Egyptians were domesticating wildcats from Africa, and these domesticated wildcats became treasured pets and were honored in many forms of artwork for their skill in hunting and killing rodents such as snakes, rats and mice.

Around 1500 B.C., cats were actually considered sacred by the Egyptians, and if a person killed a cat, they were usually put to death. Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a symbol of their grief when their pet cat died, and they made their dead cats into mummies. They also worshipped a goddess of fertility and love named "Bast" or "Bastet", who had the body of a woman and the head of a cat.

Cats first came to Europe and the Middle East about 1000 B.C., most likely from Greek and Phoenician traders. The ancient Greeks and Romans also highly valued cats for their ability to control undesirable rodents. The cat was considered the guardian spirit of a household, and the symbol of liberty in Rome.

During the Middle Ages, superstitions began. In Europe the cat was associated with the Devil, evil and witchcraft, and hundreds of thousands of cats were killed out of this fear. The destruction of so many cats upset the balance of the rodent population contributing greatly to the spread of a form of the bubonic plague called "black death", in which the deadly disease is transmitted to people by rat fleas. Almost one fourth of the entire population in Europe in the 1300's were killed by this plague

Did you know that the very first cat show was held in London in 1871?? And that the first cat association was formed in 1887 in Great Britain, called the National Cat Club of Great Britain. Cat associations register purebred cats by recording the ancestries (pedigrees) of the animals to ensure the preservation of the breeds. These associations also sponsor cat shows and establish the standards for judging of each breed. Highly trained judges at these shows award points for how well each cat meets the standards of their breed, and cats that earn enough points may become champions or grand champions.

[CarolsCritterCare]

Did you know that domestic cats can run about 30 miles per hour

The cat's tail is an extension of its backbone, and the flexible tail helps a cat keep its balance and land on its feet when it falls

A cat can move each ear independently, and improve its hearing by aiming the cup of its ears in the direction from which a sound is coming

A cat's sense of smell is 14 times stronger than a human's

Cats have 244 bones in their bodies! (About 40 more than humans)

Besides their noses, cats can smell with something called the "Jacobson's organ", located in the upper surface of their mouths. This is what cats are using when they scrunch up their eyes and open their mouths after sniffing something intently

Cats aren't hunters by nature; their mothers teach them to hunt!

To drink, a cat laps liquid from the underside of its tongue, rather than the top!

[CarolsCritterCare]

Did you know that the bottom two rows of whiskers on a cat can move independently of the top two rows

Whiskers tell a cat whether the space they are entering is big enough for it to safely enter

The oldest cat on record was a female tabby that lived to be 34 years old

Cats have about 100 different vocalization sounds. In comparison, dogs have about 10!

The largest litter of kittens on record is 19