The cat is the most popular pet in the United States, which may make some dogs jealous. The cat is a great companion and pet for busy families who may not have time to dedicate to a dog that craves attention. It’s affectionate, neat, and never boisterous. Cats enjoy being around their humans, but they are also happy to lie on a cushion or sit on the window sill if left alone.

Domestication of cats coincided with agriculture’s beginnings. Around 12,000 years ago when people began to grow grain, rodents were a nuisance. Mice and rats would feast on stored grain, which was a bountiful source of food. While dogs are great at hunting and protecting flocks, they were not as effective at catching rodents as cats.

Now it is believed that Felis sylvestris (the cat of the forest) is the ancestor of the domestic cat. It is also believed that humans and cats formed a partnership in the Middle East, possibly within the Fertile Circumference. Domestication spread quickly wherever humans planted crops and, within centuries, cats helped keep food stored safe from rodents in most of the Old World.

Even today, mice, rats, and other rodents destroy a lot of food every year, either directly by eating the food or by destroying it with urine and feces. Rodent urine is also capable of spreading dangerous diseases such as salmonella, leptospirosis and Hantavirus. Rats are also responsible for the plague, or Black Death, which is spread by fleas.

The attitude towards cats over the years has changed, sometimes to the detriment for cats.

Ancient Egyptians worshipped the cat so much that they considered it a demi god. The punishment for harming or killing cats during this time was death. While Felis sylvestris was the original cat stock, it is believed that jungle cats were bred from sylvestris in this era. Tomb paintings show cats and their human companions hunting birds on boats. Ancient Egyptian paintings, frescoes and statues feature cats. They were mummified in order to ensure their success after death.

The Norse were another people who understood the value of cats in suppressing rodents. The Norse believed that their goddess Freya rode in a chariot pulled by two enormous cats. Therefore, the farmers of Scandinavia would leave gifts for the cats to confirm an honest harvest (and to protect them from rodents).

In ancient China, famines were common and food storage was important. Li Shou, the goddess of cats, was invoked as a protector for both the home and the grain. Many homes had statues of the goddess and they were offered to ensure her goodwill.

Some Japanese people held a different view of the cat than those in China. The Japanese believed that cats could transform into the children of the princesses they killed, then trap princes who were unaware.

The Middle Ages were the most dangerous time for cats in Europe. Superstition ruled the day, and fear of devils and witches led people to view cats as evil. This was partly due to the fact that cats were more active at night and also because older women, who may have been practicing witchcraft or ancient religions, kept them as pets and mice hunters. It is generally believed that the Black Death was so severe and widespread because many cats were killed, which allowed the rat population grow.

Today, cats are revered in many places on the planet. These beautiful, intelligent, independent cats are loved companions and deadly rodent hunters. They are cherished in many homes around the world.