For many years, experts thought cats were first tamed in ancient Egypt, where they were part of religious ceremonies, sacrifices, mummified after death, and honored in artwork. But in 2001, archaeologists made a surprising discovery that changed what many believed about cat history.
During a dig on the island of Cyprus, researchers found a cat buried with a human. The grave was 9,500 years old, much older than any Egyptian finds. This suggested that people lived closely with cats far earlier than experts once thought.
Ancient Egypt farmers and wildcats formed early connections
New finds across Europe gave researchers another idea. Some believed wildcats wandered into early villages, possibly in places like modern Turkey. Friendly cats might have stayed with humans, slowly turning into the pets we know today. Farmers likely carried these cats with them as they moved across Europe.
However, two recent studies have shifted the focus back to Egypt. These studies, shared on the research platform bioRxiv, looked at old cat bones and DNA from Europe and the Mediterranean. The findings showed cats may have been fully domesticated in Egypt around 3,000 years ago.
One study offered a bold idea: the mass killing of cats during religious ceremonies may have helped make cats friendlier toward people. Greger Larson, a biologist at the University of Oxford, described this as “the murder pathway of domestication.”
Other experts, like Natalie Munro from the University of Connecticut, said the idea makes sense but needs more proof. Another researcher, Sean Doherty from the University of Exeter, studied the Cyprus cat carefully. His team compared it to over 2,400 wild and tame cat skeletons. DNA tests showed the Cyprus cat was a wildcat, not a housecat.
Researchers now believe wildcats from Europe and Africa may have mixed together. This mixed-up DNA made it hard to tell exactly where cats were first domesticated.
Ancient Egypt rituals left a lasting mark on cats
The latest research points clearly to Egypt. DNA shows today’s cats are most closely linked to North African wildcats. With Europe ruled out, Ancient Egypt’s cats, mummified between 500 and 0 B.C.E., are now the oldest known true housecats.
Their popularity grew during a time when Egyptians worshipped Bastet, the goddess of fertility and health. Bastet’s image changed over time—from a lion-headed figure to a cat-headed one. Pilgrims visiting temples often paid for cat mummies as offerings. This created a huge industry focused on breeding and mummifying cats.
Historians believe millions of cats were mummified. In fact, during the 19th century, British merchants shipped tons of Egyptian cat mummies to be used as fertilizer.
Researchers say keeping large numbers of cats together led to the rise of calmer, more social cats. Over time, Egyptians began keeping these gentle cats in their homes.
Even before mass sacrifices, cats lived closely with Egyptians. Ancient art from 1500 B.C.E. shows cats sitting under dining tables. Tame cat bones from as early as 4000 B.C.E. support the idea that cats and people shared a bond long before religious ceremonies.
Julia Troche, an Egyptologist from Missouri State University, believes the bond formed naturally. Stored grain brought rodents. Rodents attracted cats. The calmest cats stayed, and people protected them. Over generations, this helped create the housecats we know today.
How cats spread across the world
Cats made their way across Europe by the end of the first millennium B.C.E. An Austrian cat from about 50 B.C.E. shows they were already part of European life. Roman travelers likely helped spread them.
Today, about one billion cats live across the globe, found on every continent except Antarctica. Whether loved for their skills or simply for their charm, cats have held a special place in human lives for thousands of years.