Domestic Cats and Feral Cats ? The History of Cats
Filed Under Pets | Posted on May 31, 2008
Domestic Cats and Feral Cats have been around a while. Learn
about the History of Feral Cats, or Wild Cats, and when Domestic Cats came to
be.
The first appearance of the domesticated cat according to
original reports goes back as far as 8,000 years ago. According to findings,
during that era, bones of mice, humans and cats were buried mutually on the
isle of Cyprus. Apparently, people then brought together with them the mice,
which were unwanted, and the cats to Cyprus.
Domestication Of Cats:
Agriculture was not only the main occupation of the Egyptians,
but also of the southwestern Asian primitives and folks of Africa, where cats
appeared afterwards. Since harvesting crops was possible only once or twice
every year, it became difficult to store the food-eating grains. The entry of
mice, rats and other pests only added to the difficulty.
Soon people observed that the cat population ate the
rodents that destroy the food grains.
People invited cats into their daily lives very
courteously after observing cats hunting rodents. Farmers used fish-heads, milk
and bread and additional food scraps to attract and sway cats to hover around
their homes. As a result, cats merely discovered an environmental place for
themselves, a stable source of love, affection and food from human beings.
People remember cats for their illustrious position in
history. Cats and Egyptians shared a unique relationship. Egyptians possessed
different varieties of animals like pigs, sheep, cattle, fowls and monkeys in
ancient times. Cats, however unreservedly roamed the area according to its
will.
Protection of Cats:
Egypt established laws to protect and safeguard cats,
since people had a very high regard about them. A sacred order of cat reverence
developed due to its high status that lasted for about 2,000 years. People in
Egypt used to revere Bastet the cat goddess. Bastet had the head of a cat and
the body of a female. Bastet was related with motherliness, elegance, beauty
and fertility. In olden Egypt, people used to call a cat as a “Mau? resembling
“meow? a common cat word.
There was a severe punishment for people who harmed or
killed cats during the sovereignty of the Pharaohs. If a house was ablaze, it
was imperative for the humans to think first about the cats. If the death of a
cat was due to natural factors, then it was mandatory for the entire family to
go into detailed mourning with beating of chests and recitation of slogans as
an indication of pain.
It was necessary to wrap the cat’s body in linen, and
inspection was compulsory to ascertain that the cat’s death was natural. Tombs
of cats also had mouse mummies to ensure enough food for their next journey.
Soon cats sailed to countries like India, Japan, China, Italy and Greece.
Other Historical Facts:
People used to torture and sacrifice cats in sacred
rituals during the medieval ages. People regarded and scorned cats as Satan’s
members. Individuals considered black cats as a bad omen.
Due to the persecution of cats the number of rodents
increased , plague arose and devastated life. It was then that cats received
appreciation and they once again gained popularity by the eighteenth
century.
Cats became extremely popular in the nineteenth century
and cat exhibitions of various pedigrees began towards the ending of nineteenth
century.
About the author
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Tags: bast, cat goddess bastet, cat population, domestic cats, domesticated cat, domestication, egyptians, feral cats, first appearance, fish heads, food grains, food scraps, fowls, head of a cat, history cats, primitives, rodents, sacred order, stable source, wild cats
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