Cats really are some of the best pets out there. They’re adorable, endlessly entertaining, and make pretty great furry little therapists after a rough day. And judging by their popularity, we’re certainly not alone in loving them.
According to the American Pet Products Association, 53 million US households owned a cat in 2025. That’s a whole lot of spoiled kitties getting treats and taking over their owners’ beds.
But have you ever wondered how these little creatures ended up living in our homes in the first place?
Well, their story goes back thousands of years. Scientists have traced the ancestry of domestic cats to the African wildcat, particularly populations living in the Near East.
Cats likely began their journey toward domestication around 10,000 years ago, when humans were establishing some of their earliest farming villages in the Fertile Crescent.
Back then, people were growing crops and storing grain, which naturally attracted plenty of mice. And where there are mice, cats are never too far behind.
Wildcats started hanging around human settlements to hunt these unwanted visitors. Farmers likely appreciated the free pest control, while the cats enjoyed having a reliable source of food.
Over time, the animals that were comfortable around humans stuck around, and a rather wonderful friendship began.
Eventually, cats started accompanying humans to other parts of the world. Ancient Egypt played an especially important role in their spread.
A 2017 study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution examined DNA from more than 200 ancient cats and found that Egyptian cat populations contributed significantly to the ancestry of domestic cats.
As people traveled along trade routes, their feline companions traveled with them. Some joined sailors aboard ships, where their hunting skills came in particularly handy.
And after all those thousands of years of living alongside us, cats have managed to hold on to plenty of their wild instincts. That probably explains why your perfectly well-fed house cat still feels the need to attack your ankles or chase a random piece of string across the living room.
As the American Association of Feline Practitioners and International Society of Feline Medicine explain, hunting and exploring are natural parts of feline behavior. Their excellent hearing also allows them to detect the high-pitched sounds made by rodents.
Of course, cats have developed some pretty interesting ways of communicating with us, too. You might have noticed your kitty staring at you and slowly closing its eyes. Well, you can actually try doing the same thing back.
A 2020 study published in Scientific Reports found that cats were more likely to slowly blink in response to humans who did the same. They were also more willing to approach an unfamiliar person after exchanging these slow blinks.
Researchers believe this behavior may be a way for cats to communicate positive feelings.
