Short History of Cat and Human Relationships

Cats domesticated themselves thousands of years ago, but scientists aren’t quite sure exactly when - or who was responsible for the change. Domestic cats likely appeared between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent, and some scientists believe that they essentially domesticated themselves. As agriculture developed in the Near East, the cats saw human towns as excellent food sources. Humans, on the other hand, saw that cats were helping them manage the rodents that were feeding on their grain storage.

Fast-forward that mutually beneficial relationship to today, and most cats simply keep us company at home and provide us with a wealth of relatable cat owner memes potential. The movement of cats indoors is also a relatively recent development. Until the discovery of kitty litter in 1947, most cats were left to their own devices outdoors, which might be why they’ve remained such adept hunters to this day. As the prevalence of rodents in modern homes also declined, cats that were put out of work as mousers became willing tenants in our homes. However, since their inclination to pounce at shadows did not go anywhere, it still gives us a lot of material for hilariously relatable cat memes!

There are significant overlaps between cats’ and dogs’ social skills when it comes to humans, but it tends to be the case that dogs are more social than cats. Dogs were social animals, to begin with, and they were often selectively bred to enhance these traits. As outdoor mousers, however, cats were valued for their predatory instincts. They’ve probably faced less pressure from humans to accentuate their most social traits, though most cat owners know cats still have plenty of love to spare.

That concludes our quick history lesson, leaving us with just enough time to scroll through the rest of these adorable, relatable cat memes!