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Posted on 12/22/2025 12:07:16 PM PST by SunkenCiv
[snip] We generated a genomic time transect spanning the past 11,000 years and found that cats previously identified as carrying a F. l. lybica mtDNA clade from Neolithic and Chalcolithic southeast Europe and Anatolia, dated between 9500 and 6300 years ago, were F. silvestris wildcats whose ancestors hybridized with F. l. lybica. Ancient genomes revealed an increasing trend of African wildcat ancestry ranging from 9 to 34% eastward, from Bulgaria to central Anatolia.
The earliest cat belonging to the genetic cluster of as F. l. lybica and F. catus in Europe originates from the site of Genoni, in Sardinia (Italy), and is dated to ~2200 years ago. This cat is genetically similar to present-day wildcats in Sardinia, and they all appear to be closely related to a F. l. lybica wildcat from Morocco. All other archaeological cats from Europe and Anatolia included in the cluster of F. l. lybica and F. catus are dated from ~2000 years ago onward. They possessed the typical gene pool of modern domestic cats and shared more affinities with modern African wildcats than with their Levantine relatives. Their rapid dispersal across the Mediterranean in the past 2000 years marked a demographic expansion recorded in their maternal ancestries...
The first dispersal most likely featured wildcats from Northwest Africa that were introduced to Sardinia and founded the island's present-day wild population. A distinct and yet-unknown population in North Africa sourced a second dispersal not later than 2000 years ago that established the gene pool of modern domestic cats in Europe.
...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.
(Excerpt) Read more at science.org ...
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Authors: M. De Martino, V. Rovelli, P. Serventi, B. Mouraud, M. Baldoni, T. Di Corcia, S. Geiger, F. Alhaique, P. C. Alves, H. Buitenhuis, E. Ceccaroni, E. Cerilli, J. De Grossi Mazzorin, C. Detry, M. Dowd, I. Fiore, L. Gourichon, I. Grau-Sologestoa, H. C. Küchelmann, G. K. Kunst, M. McCarthy, R. Miccichè, C. Minniti, M. Moreno, N. Mrđić, V. Onar, T. Oueslati, M. Parrag, B. Pino Uria, G. Romagnoli, M. Rugge, L. Salari, K. Saliari, A. B. Santos, U. Schmölcke, A. Sforzi, G. Soranna, N. Spassov, A. Tagliacozzo, V. Tinè, S. Trixl, S. Vuković, U. Wierer, B. Wilkens, S. Doherty , N. Sykes, L. Frantz, F. Mattucci, R. Caniglia, G. Larson, J. Peters, W. Van Neer, and C. Ottoni.
[snip] Our research suggests a late arrival of domestic cats in China, with the earliest skeletal remains, imagery, and written records appearing no earlier than 1,400 years ago, in the 7th century, both in China and along the ancient Silk Road (Figures 1B and 1C; Tables S1 and S2). This challenges the common assumption that domestic cats were present in China during either the Neolithic4 or the Han Dynasty.12 Furthermore, our findings indicate that domestic cats were among the latest domesticated animals introduced to China, arriving much later than other Eurasian domesticates such as cattle, sheep, and goats (c. 3000–2000 BCE) and horses (c. 1200 BCE).104 Genomic evidence from ancient cats at key Silk Road sites raises the possibility of merchant-facilitated dispersal along this trade route, highlighting the role of the Silk Road in the spread of domestic animals.Ancient DNA reveals 3,500 years
of human-leopard cat commensalism
in ancient China
Yu Han et al | Cell | November 27, 2025
Now do a piece about boxed wine dispersal.
And somehow, they all ended up in my house and the woods behind my property.
Skin of wine dispersal, or as some would have it, gourd of wine, would be more interesting. [quatrain XI]
The Cat Distribution System at work!
Those cats were Roman all over the world................
Around these parts, most stray cats live in or around trailer parks.
They are littered all over the place.
Cats can be the sweetest little friends as long as you do everything they want you to.
Can someone translate this into English for me please? Thanks.
Invasive Species
"Sufferin' Succotash!!"
A momma Russian Blue female cat showed up at our place and since we’re in heavily wooden forest land we took her in. She showed her gratitude by delivering three kittens. Well, they grew up and when they were like six or eight weeks old we managed to place the two boy kitten. we kept the girl. So there’s momma and her daughter. The boy kittens were named Smith and Wesson.
Dogs are like: “This person feeds me, waters me, pets me, and gives me a place to sleep... they must be God!”.
Cats are like: “This person feeds me, waters me, and gives me a place to sleep... I must be God!”.
A dog and a cat were arguing over who humans liked more.
The dog said, “Humans like us more; they’ve even named a tooth (canine) after us”.
The cat smiled and replied, “You’re really not going to win this one, you know...
With cats you have to do everything when they want you to or they’ll bawl you out.
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