Every house cat on Earth, from a city stray to a pampered Persian, descends from a single, formidable ancestor: the Near Eastern wildcat. Known to science as Felis lybica lybica, this solitary hunter roamed the deserts and plains of North Africa and the Near East around 12,000 years ago. With a distinctive sandy-gray tabby coat, it was perfectly adapted to a life of territorial hunting. Of the five wildcat subspecies spread across the Old World, genetic tests confirm only this one variety possessed the social tolerance needed to begin a new life alongside people. Its biology was so successful, and has changed so little, that its descendants can still interbreed with their wild cousins today, reflecting how similar they remain to their wild ancestors.
How Cats Domesticated Themselves
How wildcats became house cats, from 12,000-year-old origins in the Fertile Crescent to the truth of their self-domestication.
The Lone Hunter
Part of
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do all modern house cats originally come from?
Every house cat on Earth descends from a single subspecies, the Near Eastern wildcat, known as Felis lybica lybica. Genetic testing confirms this single lineage began its relationship with humans around 10,000 to 12,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent.
Why did cats first start living near humans?
Wildcats were not initially drawn to humans, but to their food. As Neolithic humans began farming, their large grain stores attracted mice. The wildcats found an abundant and easy source of prey in these settlements and farmers tolerated them as efficient pest control.
Are house cats very different from wildcats?
Genetically, house cats are remarkably similar to their wild ancestors, so much so they are sometimes called 'semi-domesticated'. A 2014 study found only 13 key genes have changed, mostly related to memory, fear, and reward-seeking behaviors, which allowed them to tolerate living near people.
Learn more
To continue the story, download the Chunks Microlearning app
Or get it straight away:
Download on iOS
Download on Android