House cats have not always been the refined pet that we all love today. In fact, the modern house cat is a product of natural selection and evolution. Today's pet is much different than its predecessors, which were wild, unruly felines that would rather attack a human than rub against someone's leg.
It is believed that the domesticated cat evolved from a wild cat that lived in Egypt. Docile cats became part of human society, and eventually the docile characteristics became inbred in the animals themselves as their owners bred the best ones. Thus the house cat was born. From Egypt, domesticated cats spread to the Middle East, India and China. The Europeans did not catch on to domesticating cats until the Roman era.
When the Europeans went to America, they took cats along with them. The cats were used on board ship for the control of rodents, and soon they became common in the New World.
But what was the ancestor of the modern house cat? Archeological evidence is not clear on this. Fossil records show small cat-like creatures dating back far into the history of the world, which indicates that the ancestors of the modern cat have been around for a while.
Fossils of creatures that could be the same as the modern house cat have been found on all continents except Antarctica, but no evidence as to whether or not these animals were domesticated has been found. Scientists do know that the Saber-toothed cats had no connection to today's housecat, because there is not enough similarity between the two. Even though the evolution of the cat is still a mystery, we know that they make excellent pets, and we are thankful that they are part of our lives.
Maxine Lumkin is a lifelong owner and cat lover with a great deal of experience with kittens and older cats. She offers free help & advice on any aspect of your felines life. Visit Saffi's Cat Bed for more, from the most luxurious cat beds to the best toys to spoil yours with.
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