How We Domesticated Cats (Twice)

A 9,500-year-old burial in Cyprus represents some of the oldest known evidence of human/cat companionships anywhere in the world. But when did this close relationship between humans and cats start? And how did humans help cats take over the world? 

Big thanks to these paleoartists for allowing us to use their wonderful illustrations:

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[v.m.]

How cat domestication happened

Caveman: i found this weird small sabertooth its mine now ive named him bringles

[drexelmildraff]

Cats were considered part of the family in ancient Egypt. When the family cat died, the family went into mourning just as if a human member had died. Wealthy families even mummified their cats. Several sizable cat cemetaries even existed. Killing a cat was a capital offense.

[Harvb]

Cats show us a ton of respect: they don't kill us while we sleep. And they even wake us up several times per night to demonstrate how they aren't killing us.

[nohemigomez]

I cried when he said there was evidence the cat was taken care of by its human due to the healing in their bones 😭

[thatsawrap]

Meanwhile, cats are debating whether they have fully domesticated humans.

[longjohnpilsners]

“To this day we still don’t know how we domesticated cat’s”

Caveman: Ayo, pspspspsps....

[verilyheld]

I have always considered that millenia ago, in some village somewhere, some lost kitten was crying mournfully, a toddler girl picked it up, it purred, and that was it, we were lost.

[merkitten]

When talking about domestication of cats (or dogs), people always forget the companionship/affection factor. Most people know what its like to feel hungry. They see a skinny stray one day and their empathy kicks in, they throw it some scraps. Cat learns to come around for food, familiarity breeds some mild affection... then one day mr ancient man is having a bad day sitting there feeling down, maybe got in a fight with the cavewoman bc he didnt throw the elk carcass away after dinner which turned into an argument about how he never takes out the carcasses AND leaves his bloody spears everywhere, doesnt even wipe them down...

So hes sitting there feeling down, and this cute fluffy thing rubs against his legs and meows, and for the first time, instead of just throwing it food, he reaches down and touches it... it likes being pet, he feels his mood lift a little, and a friendship is born :)

[vladimirstanescu]

“In ancient times, cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.” - Terry Pratchett

[nerthus]

"Here kitty kitty"
--Your ancestors 10, 000 years ago

[alfatazer_]

The greatest scam cats ever pulled on us was domestication and we fell for it *TWICE.*

[ahsanrahib]

2 ways to survive in this world.
1. Be the smartest creature
2. Be the creature that enslaves the smartest creature.

[letsgo]

Currently me, living in Cyprus, with a cat that I found on the streets and took home. I also feed 10+ cats in my neighborhood. Welcome to Cyprus :)

[haddock_]

every time i look at my tiny sweet friend, it is so incredible realizing that i am living with a miniature lion with so many habbits, insticts and behaviours still in common.

[hyliapfingstl]

Cats were domesticated by showing up. Happens to this day. Strangely enough, I met people who are even in denial about this. "It's not my cat. It's a feral cat that shows up for food and snuggles almost every day. Last winter I sheltered the cat. There is enough room in my bed so why not?" Or "I temporarily adopted the cat five years ago when the owner died. I don't even know the name. The other cats in my apartment are offspring. The babies got temporary names because I don't want a cat. Temporary is important word here. May I borrow your cat treadmill? I'm just curious if those cats like it." Or "I'm not a cat person. Mittens is not really a pet. I keep Mittens around because taking care for him is a remedy to my depression. It's very heart-warming how much Mittens loves snuggles, especially at night. It's well worth the food and vet expenses." I'm not making this up.

[elsaha]

On the beginning of pandemic me and my partner moved out to countryside. And there was a feral cat, hunting rats, mouses etc. We started to feed him and slowly build trust. I took him over a year to allow us to stroke him. 3 years later he will still go to hunt, but. He wants to be cuddle so much by us. He feels 100% safe with us. His first humans :)

[moshedimawalaadormeo]

The cat died so its human companion was buried with it

[JamesSayWat]

PBS Eons Man: "and one cat skelleton even showed healed fractures"
me: *tears*

[shreyosibanerjee]

A stray cat adopted me yesterday so I'm gonna do some research now