Dig discovery is oldest 'pet cat'

[emad]

By Paul Rincon
BBC News Online science staff

The oldest known evidence of people keeping cats as pets may have been discovered by archaeologists.

The discovery of a cat buried with what could be its owner in a Neolithic grave on Cyprus suggests domestication of cats had begun 9,500 years ago.

It was thought the Egyptians were first to domesticate cats, with the earliest evidence dating to 2,000-1,900 BC.

French researchers writing in Science magazine show that the process actually began much earlier than that.

<snip>
More:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3611453.stm

Miaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[demnan]

1. But of course

cats have kept humans for mileniums

[DinahMoeHum]

2. Considering that there are many more species of small cats

than the "Big Cats" (lions, tigers, leopards, etc.). . .
sooner or later this was going to happen !!

:evilgrin:

Many years ago, there was a National Geographic article on cats, and their story started with a picture with one half lion/one half "lapcat". There was also maps on cat species origins. It is well worth finding and perusing in your local library.

:evilgrin:

[MAlibdem]

3. The question is...why?

Why would a group of hunter/gathers or early agriculturalists keep cats?

Maybe to keeps rats out of the grain? i guess that would make sense