House Cats: A History of our Beloved Domesticated Felines

Two summers ago, my husband and I adopted two male shelter kittens—one black, one black and white, respectively named Dark One and Purrsnickity. They have added so much joy, laughter, cuddles, and stress relief to our busy lives. While I have loved kitties ever since they were part of our menagerie in rural New Mexico during my teen years, having these little guys romping through our newlywed apartment—and my husband’s special connection with kitties—has endeared the feline species to me even more.

"Playful Kittens" By Karl Reichert, 1890, showing the resurgence of cat appreciation in the 19th century.
Dorotheum: Info about artwork, Public Domain, 

While I know a number of friends who are “not cat people,” cats remain the most popular pet in America today, with about a third of households containing one, or often two, pet felines. So how did human relations with cats begin, and how did this lovely, cuddly, yet independent and often mysterious animal come to be domesticated in the first place? The story is an interesting one, spanning the globe and thousands of years.

The First Pet Cats: Near East, China, and Africa 

Depiction of North African lynx or wildcat, 1846. By Jardine, William
www.flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/6505584225, Public Domain

Scientists agree that domesticated cats sprang from the same region as did human civilization: the Middle East and North Africa. While Europe also holds native cat species, such as the Scottish wildcat and European wildcat, our pets are most directly descended from the Near Eastern or North African wildcat. Interestingly, cats have changed genetically over the centuries far less than dogs, who because of the specific jobs they were chosen and bred to perform have been carefully and intentionally developed into diverse breeds by humans over the years. Except for variations in coat color and length and other relatively minor differences, cat breeding has not changed the domestic feline species significantly from its ancestors.

Ancient Egyptian statue of "holy cat," c. 664-332 BC
By Daderot - Own work, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Domesticated cats are believed to date back as far as 9,000 or 10,000 years ago, based on evidence found as far as Cyprus, Egypt, and China. It seems that once human communities started farming and storing grain, cats were attracted by the rodents who swarmed to eat the grain. People were delighted with the pest control, cats were delighted with the easy food supply. And soon, the two species decided to not only co-exist, but become friends. For example, cat bones uncovered in China show evidence of human feeding of cats, and an ancient burial site in Cyprus shows a cat and owner buried together, indicating a close bond.

Ancient Egypt’s reverence for cats is well known, with cats sometimes even elevated to the level of gods. At one point it was a capital offense to kill a cat, and mummified cats have provided interesting DNA study for scientists, who find that Egyptian cats have changed very little over the centuries.

The Middle Ages – A Sad Season

Unfortunately, the positive associations with cats in the ancient Middle East devolved in the European Middle Ages, as cats somehow came to be associated with evil and witchcraft. They even were blamed for the Black Plague, and many cats were killed—ironically helping to spread the plague even farther, since now cats could not control the rats bearing the deadly fleas. It wasn’t until the 1700s that domesticated cats began to make a healthy resurgence again.

1700s-1800s: A Comeback

Painting by Jean-Baptiste Perronneau of little girl with cat, 1745.
- Web Gallery of Art: Public Domain, 

Pet cats began to enjoy favor again in Europe and America during the 18^th and 19^th centuries, as can be seen through art and literature of the period. What reader of Little Women can forget gentle Beth and her beloved kittens? However loved, domestic cats still lived mostly outdoors, once again popular for their excellent pest control—the ubiquitous barn cat on American farms. This was largely because kitty litter wasn’t invented until 1940, making a true house cat impractical till then…for obvious reasons.

Pet Cats Today

The 21^st century is a good time to be a cat. The market is flooded with diverse kitty toy, litter, furniture, and food options, including healthy and organic. Laws against cruelty to animals aim to protect them, and cats are even said to “rule the internet” (well, who can resist those adorable kitten videos?). And 47 million American households include at least one pet kitty.

"Two Kittens" By Sophie Sperlich, early 20th century. https://www.dorotheum.com/en/auctions/current-auctions/kataloge/list-lots-detail/auktion/12646-19th-century-paintings-and-watercolours/lotID/128/lot/2261806-sophie-sperlich.html, Public Domain

However, there are still plenty of cats without good homes, as my husband and I saw vividly when we were looking for our kittens to adopt. Thinking of the rows of cages full of lonely, abandoned kittens—and sweet-natured older cats too—still makes me sad, though I’m so glad we were able to give two at least a good home. So if you are looking for a pet, don’t forget to check out the shelters. Maybe you’ll find new furry friends for your home—and see in them, as they frolic and play, not-so-subtle hints of the wildcats they were not so many generations ago.

What about you? Are you a "cat person"? What facts stand out to you about the history of these enigmatic felines? Please comment and share!

Kiersti Giron holds a life-long passion for history and historical fiction. She loves to write stories that show the intersection of past and present, explore relationships that bridge cultural divides, and probe the healing Jesus can bring out of brokenness. Kiersti has been published in several magazine and won the 2013 and 2018 Genesis Awards – Historical for her novels Beneath a Turquoise Sky and Fire in My Heart. An English teacher and member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kiersti loves learning and growing with other writers penning God's story into theirs, as well as blogging at www.kierstigiron.com. She lives in California with her wonderful husband, Anthony, and their two kitties.

From Wildcat to House Cat: How Cats Became Domesticated

Ancient Egyptian statue of Bastet
Photo by Gryffindor, 2008, [cc]

Is it nurture or nature? Cats can be affectionate or standoffish, but their adorable faces and playful antics win us over every time. Yes, I am a fan of cats, especially my very own gray dilute tabby domestic shorthair with mixed lineage!

Watching them pounce on a toy mouse or a shining beam of laser light, we can observe their hunting instincts. Their rolling shoulder gait is so much like that of their distant cousins in the wild as they stalk their "prey." What caused cats to come from the wild and into human dwellings?

Evidence of cats living with people span from 5,000 years ago in China to up to 9,000 years ago in the ancient Near East. A cat’s jawbone was found on the island of Cyprus, dating back 8,000 years. This suggested that cats dwelled with humans at the time. Archaeologists also found a cat buried with a human on Cyprus that dated back even further. 

In ancient China, leopard cats were domesticated to some degree. Some research suggests that domestic cats are all descended from felis sylvestris, the Middle Eastern so-called “cat of the woods,” or wildcat. More recent research of feline DNA showed that the modern house cat descended from two lineages. One was the African wildcat. The theory is that as humans began to progress in the field of agriculture (no pun intended) and stored grain, wild cats started to enter human communities to eat the mice and other rodents that invaded the granaries. Consequently, people were happy with the population control of those pesky rodents and they welcomed the feline predators. 

African Wildcat by Sonelle, 2003, [cc]

As is commonly known, cats were revered in Egypt. Their goddess, Bastet, had the head of a feline. Anyone who killed a cat in ancient Egypt could face execution. Cats were often mummified just as humans were. Wealthy families prided themselves on the colorings of their cats and sometimes exhibited them in a similar fashion to the cat shows of today. Other ancient cultures also respected them though not to such a high degree.

Mummified Cat, 2000-100 B.C., from Welcome Images, 2014 [cc]

How did they go from predator to pet? Clues came to light as scientists bred foxes to be friendly on a Russian fur farm in the 1950s. The resulting foxes, after a few generations, took on dog-like characteristics. Their ears grew floppier and their tails grew curlier. They grew affectionate to humans. Scientists have concluded that domesticated animals have changes in their brains that make them more likely to live peaceably with humans.

Cats in Chinese Art, Mao,  12th Century {PD}

Similarly, cats that gravitated toward human settlements continued to breed with other cats who were less shy to human company and more motivated by reward. Eventually the solitary feline was happy to curl up in the lap of their human caretaker. This may have occurred over just a few generations. 

Cat playing from Loliloli, 2008, {PD}

The skeleton and DNA of the domestic cat show little difference compared to their wild counterparts. The one unique trait which emerged were the spots and stripes of the tabby. These didn’t appear until the Middle Ages. During the 1700s the tabby markings became more common and were identified with domestic cats. Then in the 1800s, cat enthusiasts began choosing cats for their particular characteristics such as coat markings, and produced fancy breeds.

So what is the true story of the domestication of cats? As lovable felines do today, they chose the humans they wanted to live with and are pleased to do so for as long as they so wish. The DNA studies concluded that cats basically domesticated themselves. 

Lilybits, my favorite feline.

Kathleen Rouser is the author of Rumors and Promises, her first novel about the people of fictional Stone Creek, Michigan, and the novella, The Pocket Watch. She is a longtime member of American Christian Fiction Writers. 

Kathleen has loved making up stories since she was a little girl and wanted to be a writer before she could even read. She longs to create characters who resonate with readers and realize the need for a transforming Savior in their everyday lives. She lives in Michigan with her hero and husband of 35 years, and the sassy tail-less cat who found a home in their empty nest. Connect with Kathleen on her website at kathleenrouser.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kathleenerouser/, and on Twitter @KathleenRouser.