The Story of Cat Domestication Just Got a Major Twist

Nautilus ^ | November 28, 2025 | Molly Glick

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Despite oodles of data on dog domestication, the exact origins of our feline friends have long remained fuzzy. We do know that pet cats retained many of their wild cat ancestors’ characteristics. This—perhaps not surprising many cat caretakers—makes pet cats technically “semidomesticated.” But scientists have squabbled over precisely where and when such changes came about.

The feline timeline is especially tricky to pinpoint due to scarce archeological findings, along with the fact that the bones of wild cats and domesticated ones look quite similar. So far, researchers have encountered tantalizing clues, including depictions of cats as beloved, jewelry-wearing family members in Egypt around 3,500 years ago. But feline domestication might have happened even earlier, according to findings of cat bones from nearly 10,000 years ago in Cyprus. These revelations have suggested that cat domestication first cropped up in the Levant region.

Genetic analysis of ancient and modern cat specimens could offer more clarity, but few studies have taken on this endeavor so far. Recent analyses of ancient DNA hint that cats moved from what’s now Turkey to Europe some 6,000 years ago, coinciding with the dawn of large-scale agriculture. But it has been uncertain whether these kitties were truly domesticated or just a specific lineage of wildcats.

Now, new genetic analysis has offered some clearer insights: Domestic cats may have evolved from North African wildcats, rather than those from the Levant. These feline findings were reported in the journal Science. The authors also suggested that bona fide domesticated felines only arrived in southwest Asia and Europe around 2,000 years ago. Before then, cats that made their way to the region were instead “genetically European wildcats and reflect ancient hybridization rather than early domestication,” according to a statement about the study.

“Our findings challenge the commonly held view of a Neolithic introduction of domestic cats to Europe, instead placing their arrival several millennia later,” the authors wrote in the paper. The findings suggest cats, in their semi-domesticated state, joined humans as companions far later than did dogs.

This conclusion stemmed from analysis of 87 genomes from modern and ancient cats, the majority of which were from archaeological specimens that dated as far back as roughly 9000 B.C. This data encompassed cats from Europe, North Africa, and a region of Turkey called Anatolia.

The new paper comes with limitations, Jonathan Losos, an evolutionary biologist at Washington University in St. Louis, who wasn’t involved in the new study, noted in an accompanying commentary in Science. For example, the European timeline proposed in this paper conflicts with depictions of cats found in modern-day Greece and Italy dating back to nearly 4,000 years ago. This contradiction might stem from a gap in genomic cat data between 2,000 to 4,000 years ago.

Today, house cats reside in every continent besides Antarctica, and, including feral felines, may number up to 1 billion. “Ever sphinxlike, cats give up their secrets grudgingly,” Losos wrote. “Yet more ancient DNA is needed to unravel these mysteries of long ago.”

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TOPICS: History; Pets/Animals; Science
KEYWORDS: cats; pets; science

[Diana in Wisconsin]

That is a GREAT Site! Pretty sure I NEED those cat leggings, now - and my 19 year old body back! ;)

[SunkenCiv]

https://www.reddit.com/r/therewasanattempt/comments/v620og/to_shut_the_shades/

[FLNittany]

So you’ve trained your dog to not lick his ass.

Makes me wonder how the inevitable task is getting accomplished.

[SunkenCiv]

LOL!

[maddog55]

What part about “Not in my house” did you not understand?

If you licked your dogs azz to accomplish it for him good on you.

[FLNittany]

So he only licks it when he’s outside?

I don’t have a dog.

[kosciusko51]

I loved my two boxers, but our current dog is a 30-lb French bulldog. She’s no fragile dog, and as solid as any bulldog or boxer.

It’s easier to take her to the vet or on vacation, but she doesn’t go to restaurants or bars with us.

[maddog55]

And unlike cats, he didn’t shxt in my house either.

[BenLurkin]

Good kitty!

[Texan5]

I’ve had dogs and cats all my life-I live in a rural area where everyone has dogs and cats. My dog-a Siberian Husky, died a few years ago at almost 18 years old-I may never get another dog-she was that special to me...

The tourists that book airB&Bs, RV spaces and cabins out here see this and dump their unwanted pets here in the woods-if they survive the mountain lions, coyotes and loose dogs, someone will rescue and keep them or find them a new home. I have 5 indoor cats-all rescued pets-I’ve had them neutered/spayed, and they keep my house pest-free-that is their job. I refer to them as my ungrateful shelter cats...

I am also one of the people who rescues, feeds and shelters those dumped cats and finds them new homes with people who will love them. My neighbor does the same for dumped dogs. I’ve never bought a cat-always got them at a shelter or rescued them. My cats usually live 18-20 years.

My youngest cat-a black female named Lilith-is a year old. She was someone’s Christmas kitten they decided to put outdoors at the RV park where they were staying-being a snack-sized kitten only about 5 weeks old, she ran to hide-and promptly got lost. The owners couldn’t find her and left on their travels without her, but she found her way here and came onto the deck begging for attention and food. My other 4 cats were charmed by her-so she’s still here...

[Texan5]

I’m a big dog person who also likes cats. Sounds like you put your pets in the same category as livestock, accessories or equipment, rather than working and companion animals...