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DID YOU KNOW?
ORIGIN OF CATS
– By Dr. Kathleen O’Connor, DVM
Many of my clients do not know the history of the
cat family – this may help us to better understand
these incredible creatures.
All the modern cat species share the many of the
physical and genetic similarities to their descendants
– The Miacids. The Miacids, which developed in the
post dinosaur era, were divided into 2 subgroups – The
Smilodon, which were very large, mostly tree living
cats that fed off herds of grazing animals with the
sabre tooth cats being a good example and then the
Dimictis, who were a smaller, faster species which were
well established at the time of the ice age. After the ice
age the Smilodon became extinct while the Dimictis
cats remained and numbered over 100 species. Due
to their smaller size, speed and intelligence, they were
favoured to survive over the larger species. By the
time of the first humans, cats were becoming well
established in Asia and Africa.
At first these cats had very little contact with humans,
but over time as the human life changed from nomadic
to agrarian, people needed to store sufficient supplies
between harvests, and grain kept in storehouses needed
to be protected against mice and rats.
Above: Sam
Right: A painting in
the tomb of May (reign
of Thutmose III) shows a
cat with a collar seated at
the chair of its mistress.
Enter the cat. In search of food, the wild cats could
find plentiful supplies in the human settlements. The
farmers quickly realized just how useful the cats were
in protecting their grain supplies. Unlike the dogs,
which had long been domesticated, the cat’s night
predatory behaviour was particularly useful, because
this is when the vermin were feeding. Rather than
chasing the cats away, farmers encouraged them to
stay. With an endless supply of food, and protection
from their enemies, many of these cats did not return
to their former wild life.
they have the same
general anatomical
features of a short head,
strong powerful jaws,
sharp stabbing teeth,
agile body and excellent hearing like those of the original wild cats.
Domesticated cats were all respected in the ancient civilians of Greece,
Rome, China and Japan, but especially ancient Egypt.
Genetic changes have taken place since the first wild
cat approached a farm. Given the very long contact
now with humans, the domestic cat has a more placid,
pragmatic personality than its wild relatives. However,
The cat progressed from useful vermin eater to a position of godlike stature. They were valued as household possessions (not pets).
The household went into mourning after the death of the cat, and
many of them were mummified. They were buried in a casket in a cat
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