Like the dog, the modern domesticated cat is the result of generations of selective breeding.
However, the roots of feline domestication are thought to go back millennia.
Relatively little is known about the initial relationship between humans and cats.
Nevertheless, we do know that the Ancient Egyptians were obsessed with them.
Cats in Ancient Egypt In fact, it is thought that the beginnings of domestication began in Ancient Egypt.
There are numerous paintings of cats dating back as far as the third millennium B.
C.
Of course, it is difficult to ascertain whether these are wild or domesticated cats.
However, it is commonly believed that by approximately 1600 B.
C.
cats were at least somewhat domesticated, due to the frequency of their appearance in Egyptian art.
The Start of Modern Domestication In almost all cases of animal domestication, humans selected and bred animals that could be of use to them.
However, it is thought that this may not necessarily be true of cats.
Of course, cats became very useful to humans in the hunting and eradication of vermin, such as rats and mice.
Interestingly though, it is believed that humans did not seek cats out for this purpose.
Instead, cats were attracted to humans, due to the abundance of food and the warmth of fire.
As humans realized that cats could be of benefit to them, they offered them food in the hope that they would stay.
Cats: The Most Domesticated Wild Animal For a long time, the cat was not considered to be fully domesticated even though they were living with humans.
For many cat owners, the animal's independence and willful nature are the attraction.
But it begs the question "why are cats unlike all other domesticated animals?" Well, the answer is a combination of things.
First, cats, with only two exceptions: lions and cheetah, are solitary animals.
In their natural environment, cats live and hunt alone, subsequently, they do not recognize the hierarchy of a group, herd or pack.
Obviously, with animals, such as wolves, it is very easy for a human to take the role of pack leader and exert dominance.
However, cat's do what they want to do and answer to no one.
Additionally, for centuries, cats were seen as a handy asset in killing vermin, but it did not appear necessary to selectively breed them.
In fact, humans did not interfere with cat breeding until the latter part of the 19th century.
Partly, this was due to various superstitious and religious views surrounding cats.
Consequently, unlike horses, dogs and every other domesticated animal, cats are thousands of years behind in the breeding program.
Selective Breeding in Cats Subsequently, it could be argued that the true domestication of cats did not begin until the late 1800s.
Obviously, a large part of selective breeding is concerned with personality as much as it is on appearance.
Therefore, it is thought that older pedigreed breeds of cat, those that have been selectively bred for the longest, tend to be more docile and interested in human interaction than the non-pedigree cats.
Although there have been no official studies of cat temperament and the differences between pedigree and non-pedigree felines, breeders and cat fanciers, who have experience of dealing with both types of cat, state that there is a marked difference in behavior and character.
That said, there is still so much that we simply do not know about feline domestication.
The attraction between cats and humans will perhaps always remain a bit of a mystery.
The fascination that the Ancient Egyptians had for felines and the cat's inclination to abandon solitary existence to live with us humans will probably never be fully explained.
However, the roots of feline domestication are thought to go back millennia.
Relatively little is known about the initial relationship between humans and cats.
Nevertheless, we do know that the Ancient Egyptians were obsessed with them.
Cats in Ancient Egypt In fact, it is thought that the beginnings of domestication began in Ancient Egypt.
There are numerous paintings of cats dating back as far as the third millennium B.
C.
Of course, it is difficult to ascertain whether these are wild or domesticated cats.
However, it is commonly believed that by approximately 1600 B.
C.
cats were at least somewhat domesticated, due to the frequency of their appearance in Egyptian art.
The Start of Modern Domestication In almost all cases of animal domestication, humans selected and bred animals that could be of use to them.
However, it is thought that this may not necessarily be true of cats.
Of course, cats became very useful to humans in the hunting and eradication of vermin, such as rats and mice.
Interestingly though, it is believed that humans did not seek cats out for this purpose.
Instead, cats were attracted to humans, due to the abundance of food and the warmth of fire.
As humans realized that cats could be of benefit to them, they offered them food in the hope that they would stay.
Cats: The Most Domesticated Wild Animal For a long time, the cat was not considered to be fully domesticated even though they were living with humans.
For many cat owners, the animal's independence and willful nature are the attraction.
But it begs the question "why are cats unlike all other domesticated animals?" Well, the answer is a combination of things.
First, cats, with only two exceptions: lions and cheetah, are solitary animals.
In their natural environment, cats live and hunt alone, subsequently, they do not recognize the hierarchy of a group, herd or pack.
Obviously, with animals, such as wolves, it is very easy for a human to take the role of pack leader and exert dominance.
However, cat's do what they want to do and answer to no one.
Additionally, for centuries, cats were seen as a handy asset in killing vermin, but it did not appear necessary to selectively breed them.
In fact, humans did not interfere with cat breeding until the latter part of the 19th century.
Partly, this was due to various superstitious and religious views surrounding cats.
Consequently, unlike horses, dogs and every other domesticated animal, cats are thousands of years behind in the breeding program.
Selective Breeding in Cats Subsequently, it could be argued that the true domestication of cats did not begin until the late 1800s.
Obviously, a large part of selective breeding is concerned with personality as much as it is on appearance.
Therefore, it is thought that older pedigreed breeds of cat, those that have been selectively bred for the longest, tend to be more docile and interested in human interaction than the non-pedigree cats.
Although there have been no official studies of cat temperament and the differences between pedigree and non-pedigree felines, breeders and cat fanciers, who have experience of dealing with both types of cat, state that there is a marked difference in behavior and character.
That said, there is still so much that we simply do not know about feline domestication.
The attraction between cats and humans will perhaps always remain a bit of a mystery.
The fascination that the Ancient Egyptians had for felines and the cat's inclination to abandon solitary existence to live with us humans will probably never be fully explained.
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