[SunkenCiv]

The genomes of ancient cats from archaeological sites across Europe and Anatolia (dark circles in the map) revealed that domestic cats were introduced to Europe from North Africa starting at ~2 thousand years ago (kya), several millennia after the onset of the Neolithic in Europe. African wildcats in Sardinia originate from a distinct wildcat population in Northwest Africa.

The dispersal of domestic cats from North Africa to Europe around 2000 years ago | M. De Martino et al | Science | Vol. 390, No. 6776

[ansel12]

The Roman Legions would love cat videos.

[SauronOfMordor]

In the time of the Roman Empire, Rome would import grain from Egypt, and cats probably traveled with the grain ships.

[mairdie]

What a WONDERFUL thread!

[dfwgator]

We all know how they came to America

[skepsel]

Kipling explains it all.

The Cat That Walked By Himself

https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/tale/rk_catwalked.htm

[Ezekiel]

“helped bring cats to”

Wanderwort...

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cat

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cattus#Latin

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%9C

[an amused spectator]

Pallas Cat (Manul cat) FTW!

[Beowulf9]

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your pointy ears.

[Albion Wilde]

Cats have been around since Creation:

[wardaddy]

For a lifelong Rott owner I do still love cats

[PIF]

War Cat