Cats

The relationship between people and cats began about 5000 years ago in Ancient Egypt. African wild cats (Felis lybica) were probably first drawn to human settlements by the presence of rodents. These often decimated human food stores at that time, bringing widespread starvation, so anything offering help from the menace was to be welcomed. Some young kittens may have been reared by hand and subsequently started to catch rodents, fending for themselves and serving a useful purpose as they grew older. 

EGYPT AND BEYOND

 

Cats were ultimately to have a major impact on Egyptian society, even achieving divine status. The cat goddess was given a variety of names, including Pasht, which may have led to the affectionate term ‘puss’ that we use today. When a cat died, its body was embalmed like that of a ruling Pharaoh, and a period of mourning followed. However, there was also a much more sinister side to this cult, with many millions of cats deliberately sacrificed and buried in huge tombs.

Merchant ships sailing around the Mediterranean region carried cats from Egypt to Europe. The Greeks did not show great enthusiasm for them – possibly because they already used weasels to kill their vermin – but they kept cats as pets and took them out on leads for exercise, rather like dogs. The Romans in turn viewed cats as companions, and introduced them to a wider area of the Continent.

Cats were also transported east along the trade routes into Asia at an early stage in history. As in Egypt, they acquired a religious association here, and many of today’s popular breeds were kept and worshipped as sacred temple pets. These included the Birman, which originated in Burma (now Myanmar), and the Siamese, which came from the country formerly called Siam (now Thailand).

DEVELOPMENTS IN EUROPE

By the Middle Ages, cats faced a troubled future in Europe. They were seen as creatures of the night and linked with witches, and were soon suffering from intense persecution. This mood appears to have been triggered by the rise of pagan religions, which often regarded the cat as a fertility symbol. Black cats were especially feared, and were popularly believed to be witches’ familiars, providing a direct link to the devil and also possessing mysterious powers.

However, in the 17^th century cats were given grudging acceptance once again, largely because of their ability to control rodents. Ships’ cats were vital in protecting food stores from rats, and their presence on board also helped to enliven long voyages for the sailors. A subtle but significant shift also occurred in the way writers began to portray cats: for instance, in Charles Perrault’s well-known story Puss-in-Boots. He based this character on matagots – cats with supposed magical powers – but portrayed Puss not as the devil’s agent but as a cat which helped to ensure that his owner became wealthy and was lucky in love.

Artists such as Manet also helped to rehabilitate the cat in the public’s mind, and the widespread interest in competing and selective breeding that arose in Victorian Britain saw cats becoming highly prized among the wealthier section of society. The world’s first major cat show took place in London in July 1871, and was followed in 1895 by the first major event of this kind in the USA. Rather ironically, an Englishman called Charles Cruft tried his hand at promoting cat shows, but lost money and was forced to concentrate instead on an annual dog show which today is internationally famous. The story could therefore have been very different, particularly as Cruft himself was more of a cat-lover and did not even keep a dog!

THE SEPARATION OF BREEDS

The trend towards establishing different cat breeds began in earnest this century, and there are now over 50 distinctive breeds and countless hundreds of colour varieties. However, the cat-owning public at large has shown little enthusiasm for pure-bred cats, preferring instead to stick with non-pedigree cats (commonly known as ‘moggies’ in the UK), which have no distinct lineage. This is particularly surprising, because pedigree cats show very few of the hereditary weaknesses so prevalent within pure-bred dogs.

With modern standards of care, cats usually live for 12 to 16 years, or even longer. They are naturally self-reliant animals, although thought needs to be given to protecting them in urban areas where they are especially vulnerable to passing traffic. Cats retain a more independent side to their nature than dogs, but they can prove to be very loyal and rewarding companions, and will ask for little in return except food, shelter and affection.