How and when did cats become domestic cats?

Culture

Since ancient times, people have believed in omens. This is primarily due to the fact that in those days people did not have enough knowledge about the things that we have today

When this or that natural phenomenon occurred, people could not explain it

, so they became superstitious and came up with various signs.

Despite the fact that civilization has experienced the industrial revolution and technological progress, many people continue to believe in omens

, some of which are quite popular.

Signs and superstitions about Friday the 13th

It will be interesting to note that the fear of this day has its own name - paraskavedekatriaphobia

(from the Greek "Paraskevi" which means "Friday" and "Dekatreis" which translates to "Thirteen").

This phobia also has a second name - friggatriskaidekaphobia.

.
It is part of a larger concept - triskaidekaphobia
. This name comes from the name of the goddess Frigg from German-Scandinavian mythology.

Particularly superstitious people on this day decide to close all the doors and windows in the house for the whole day.

, stop answering phone calls and don’t look out the window.

In some cultures, Friday the 13th is considered devil's day.

, which means it brings failure. Initially, there was no connection between the fifth day of the week and the devil's dozen.

Interesting facts about this day

* It all started in ancient times. According to ancient beliefs, on this day 12 witches and other evil spirits gathered for the Sabbath, and when the full moon comes, the tempter himself appears on the 13th.

* Also in Christian culture it is believed that on this day Cain killed Abel

, Christ was crucified, and at the Last Supper, where all the apostles gathered,
the 13th was Judas
, who betrayed Christ.

Dark years

Despite the fact that the cat was domesticated a long time ago, the role of domestic animals was consolidated only in the 12th-14th centuries. The fashion spread from the British Isles, and in Rus' furry ones were revered as unsurpassed rodent catchers.

With the advent of the era of the Inquisition, difficult times came for both man and his four-legged companion. The worldview instilled by religion made us believe in the devilish origin of cats, especially black ones. Until the 18th century, pets were exterminated throughout Europe, then a long-awaited remission occurred.

It is important to know

In 1871, the first exhibition of cats was held, which finally won the status of pets.

Problems with assimilation

It is obvious that people did not manage to domesticate cats right away; success was accompanied by years of painstaking work to establish trusting relationships.
Our ancestors used “feeding” tactics, gradually introducing wild cats to their daily diet. Over time, several representatives of the tailed tribe become guests in human possessions, which marked the appearance of a new domestic animal.

It is important to know

Scientists believe that the cat was domesticated before cattle and dogs. Such selectivity is dictated by the emergence of agricultural culture and the need to protect the fruits of human hands, the origin of proud hunters.

Bad omen associated with a black cat crossing the road

unusual animals since ancient times

. People made up stories about them, and many superstitions arose.

It is worth noting that the very first cats were golden in color.

- their fur consisted of black and yellow hairs.
They became black completely by accident - a mutation occurred
that led to a violation of yellow pigmentation. As a result, a black cat was born.

Cat in Ancient Egypt

* The ancient Phoenicians of Egypt were the first to take the very first black cats from their home in Egypt.

Ancient Egyptian goddess Bast

, which was the personification of joy, fun and love, as well as female beauty and fertility, was represented in the form of a cat or a woman with the head of this animal.

* The cat was considered a sacred animal precisely because of people’s faith in the goddess Bast. Doctors of Ancient Egypt hung images of a black cat on their houses, as Bast became a symbol of their profession.

* In Egypt, it was customary to give way to cats, and if there was a fire, the cat was the first to be taken out. Anyone who took the life of a black cat, even by accident, was executed.

* Black cats were also used to hunt rodents

. Since they were almost invisible in the dark, they made excellent hunters.

Cat in the Middle Ages

* Later, the number of black cats in Europe increased significantly, and they began to be hunted. In addition, because of their glowing in the dark eyes, people began to associate black cats with evil spirits. Many people thought that witches could turn into these furry animals.

* If a woman kept a black cat in her house, she was considered a witch

, and she was burned at the stake along with the cat.
Only one light hair
could be the salvation for the animal .

Cat as part of quackery

* Several centuries later, when cats and their owners stopped being hunted, the belief that black cats could save people from various diseases began to gain popularity.

In the 18th century, healers believed that, for example, if you bury a cat’s tail in the ground under a threshold

, then he saved the family from accidents and illnesses.

* Even some respected scientists believed that using one or another part of a cat could cure a specific disease.

Black cat in ancient Rus'

In Ancient Rus', people believed that the bone of a black cat can be safely exchanged for an invisible hat, but a living creature can be exchanged for a ten-kopeck piece, which constantly returns to the owner, no matter how much he spends it.

It was also believed that a black cat was capable of driving away all evil spirits

, if she was left to spend the night in a new house.

Black cat in England and Scotland

Ladies in England believed that if you keep such a cat at home, there will be no end to suitors, but if the cat sneezes next to the bride, then a happy marriage is guaranteed.

In Scotland it is believed that if a black cat sits on the porch, then there will be prosperity in the house

Black cat in Japan

If a Japanese man says “bless you”

, then he will not have toothache.

Black cat in the USA

In the 19th century in the United States, some people believed that if a stray cat came to their door, they should let him into the house and show him hospitality. In this case, the cat will bring good luck.

* Interesting fact:

In Lick Springs, Indiana, there is a law that states that all owners of black cats are required to put bells on their pets when they are going to let them outside on Friday the 13th.

Origin of cats

The history of the appearance of the cat is shrouded in mysterious secrets. There are the most fantastic versions about the origin of this furry animal.

Religious version

One of the most popular explanations involves Noah's Ark. Everyone knows that according to legend, during the Great Flood, all living beings of the ancient world found salvation on this giant ship. The Ark sailed for a long time, so a lot of fetid excrement accumulated on board. Strong odors interfered with normal life on the ship. At the same time, the rodents multiplied with such force that they destroyed all food supplies. The inhabitants of the ark were threatened with terrible death from starvation.

Then, according to legend, God decided to help again. On the advice of the Almighty, Noah stroked the elephant's trunk. At the same moment, a pig appeared from the animal’s nose and began to destroy all waste products. Then God told Noah to stroke the lion's nose, after which a cat jumped out. She destroyed all rodents and thereby saved all animals and people from starvation.

Mythological version

Ardent adherents of the legend about the unearthly origin of cats claim that these furry pets flew to our planet from outer space. According to this theory, the first alien cats settled in ancient Egypt. At the same time, the animals were bald and even contacted ancient people, transmitting information to them by the power of thought.

One day, a bald cat met a shaggy steppe cat. She fell in love with him and decided to stay on Earth. The couple multiplied and multiplied, leaving numerous furry offspring, the representatives of which are the ancestors of modern domestic cats.

The theory of the alien appearance of cats is confirmed by the discovery of astronauts from the United States. During the moon landing, they discovered strange small artifacts and brought them with them. Laboratory analysis concluded that it was cat feces.

Scientific version

The official scientific version about the evolutionary origin of cats from ancient creodonts looks more plausible. These dangerous predators inhabited the Earth approximately 50 million years ago and kept weaker animals at bay. In size, the creodont was slightly larger than the modern tiger.

There is no direct evidence of this theory, but many facts indirectly indicate that the origin of the ancestors of the modern cat occurred during the migration of mammals.

According to other assumptions of zoologists, the cat's ancestors were proaurus. This animal lived about 20 million years ago. He weighed about 9 kg and climbed trees perfectly thanks to his tenacious legs. Outwardly, Proaiurus resembled a marten. He hunted deftly and could fend for himself.

Within the framework of this scientific hypothesis, experts believe that two branches of animals evolved from Proaurus. These are the ancient saber-toothed cats and the modern cat genus. As part of the evolutionary process, saber-toothed cats became extinct 10,000 years ago, and the ancestors of domestic pets continued their development.

Cats are popular in most countries of the world and are very close to humans. Many people proudly call themselves cat people. However, despite their taming and domestication, cats still consider themselves unconquered creatures and prefer to walk on their own. This is evidenced by their freedom-loving disposition, as well as their independent character. Therefore, the life of cats next to humans can be considered a real gift.

It's bad luck to pass things over the threshold

Many people know the sign when it is forbidden to shake hands or pass any things across the threshold. This sign appeared in ancient times, when people buried the ashes of their ancestors precisely under the threshold

It was believed that any actions across the threshold could disturb the peace of the deceased

, and this in turn will not lead to anything good.

It is also worth noting that the threshold of a house is considered a kind of border that separates the world of the living and the dead

Scientific research

The process of domestication may have begun about 10,000 years ago, when humans settled in the Fertile Crescent, an arched region that includes the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the land around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. People stored grain there - the main source of food, which is also loved by rodents, which in turn attracted wild cats. Over time, these wild cats adapted to this artificial environment and got used to people and completely stopped being afraid of them.

Cats were clearly tame around 3,500 years ago in Egypt, where paintings often placed them under chairs. This shows that by that time “the cat had reached the house.” At that time, this animal was a symbol of fertility, since on the frescoes of the ancient Egyptians the cat was depicted under a woman’s chair when the family dreamed of replenishment.

Returning halfway can bring bad luck

The explanation for this sign is the same as in the previous case - the threshold is the border between two worlds, the living and the dead.

If a person crossed the threshold of his home, but did not reach his final goal, but turned around and came back, then his spiritual strength has weakened, and unpleasant surprises may await him along the way.

The spirits of the dead were disturbed in vain

, and evil entities from that world, trying to penetrate our world, can bring you trouble.

According to legend, if you look in the mirror before going out again

, then you can avoid trouble.

It's bad luck to give a watch as a gift.

It will be interesting to mention that this superstition came to the old world from China

.
It is there that a watch brought as a gift plays the role of an invitation to a funeral
.

In the post-Soviet space, beliefs associated with giving watches are different. It is believed that the clock counts down the duration of friendship with the one to whom it is given.

. Some also believe that the clock counts down how long its owner has left to live.

People who believe in this believe that such a sign can be neutralized by giving a small coin in return for the gift.

- this will mean that the watch was purchased and not given as a gift.

What have domesticated cats lost?

What changes occurred in the body of these animals as a result of domestication? First of all, the color has changed.

If previously cats had predominantly dark or gray protective colors , now their fur can be of a wide variety of colors - from pure white to spotted orange.

The body sizes have also changed significantly .

The body of wild cats is much larger, elongated, and they also have long legs, which is simply necessary for successful hunting.

If the body of domestic cats is larger, it is often due to fat deposits rather than muscle mass.

There is a noticeable reduction in the limbs due to the loss of the need to hunt and run quickly.

In addition, the bones of domestic cats are not as strong as those of their ancestors.

The shape of the ears has also changed. Previously, they were larger and longer, but now they have become smaller and shorter due to a decrease in the need to hear danger.

It’s a good sign to “sit on the path”

For a long time people believed that our world was inhabited by spirits. It was believed that the spirits of the house did not like it when one of the residents went on the road

. In order not to let him go, the spirits clung to the departing person and tried in every possible way to interfere with him on his way so that he would return home.

To counter such interference, the sign “sit on the path” was invented. When the spirits saw people just sitting, they assumed that no one was going anywhere and lost their vigilance

. Taking advantage of this, the traveler could safely hit the road.

But there is also a practical meaning of this sign - by sitting down on the path, the traveler can collect his thoughts

, to remember whether he took everything and whether he forgot to do something important.

Cat as a species

The cat (Felis) belongs to the order of carnivorous mammals. Being a solitary hunter, it is still considered a social animal, using body movements, sound signals and pheromones to communicate with other individuals of its species.

The weight of an adult animal depends on the breed and ranges from 2 to 8 kg, the usual lifespan is 10–15 years. The types of cat skin colors are very diverse. Main types: striped, tortoiseshell, solid, with darker coloring of the face, legs or tail.

The family of wild progenitors Felis catus is represented by several species:

Felis bieti (Chinese mountain),
Felis cafra (African forest),
Felis lybica (spotted steppe),
Felis ornate (desert),
Felis. silvestris (European forest).

Wild cats lived near human settlements even after their counterparts were domesticated, so the set of chromosomes of wild and domestic breeds differs slightly. Genotypes of Felis silvestris catus were formed depending on the subspecies of wild animals living in a particular region. His study led to the conclusion that the ancestor of most domestic European cats can be considered Felis silvestris, Chinese - Felis bieti, Indian - with Felis ornate.

"Don't eat from a knife"

According to this sign, whoever eats from a knife will become evil

. Since the knife is one of the first tools for obtaining food invented by man, it was a kind of talisman with a special meaning.

Previously, the knife was used in various rituals

, endowing it with magical properties. Using a knife only for eating food was considered blasphemy, and the spirits could be greatly offended by such disrespect.

It would also be worth noting that eating from a knife can be dangerous - you just might cut yourself

Why is spilling salt a bad omen?

It is no secret that salt has been used as a food product for many years.

In ancient Russia, salt was considered a symbol of eternity

, and for quite a long time this product was considered
very expensive
- many people were paid in salt, many merchant ships carried salt, there was even a time when salt was more expensive than gold.
This is where the tradition of greeting guests with bread and salt came from. Well, if you spilled salt, it could lead to a quarrel
.

To avoid a quarrel, the one who spilled the salt had to immediately throw three pinches of salt over his left shoulder

and laugh, thereby showing the guests that salt was not a pity for them, and laughter simply improved the general mood, which means that the chances of a possible quarrel were significantly reduced.

When did we become friends?

One would think that archaeological evidence would make it easy to understand when cats were domesticated, but wild cats and domesticated cats have remarkably similar skeletons, complicating research. On the island of Cyprus in 1983, archaeologists discovered the jawbone of a cat that was about 8,000 years old. Since it seemed unlikely that humans would have brought wild cats to the island not yet accustomed to humans, the discovery suggests that domestication occurred even earlier.

In 2004, the discovery of an even more ancient site in Cyprus, in which a cat was deliberately buried with a person, made it even more certain that the island's ancient cats were domesticated earlier, pushing domestication back another 1,500 years.