On the origin of the cat

I have read of people thinking the cats we have as pets would descend from large felids.  Or at least be closely related to them.  People might not know that smaller felids exist.  Otherwise it is possible they only know about lynxes.  In this case it is not obvious they are more like housecats.  A short tail is clearer than a proportionally shorter muzzle.

Today’s felids can be divided in two clades.  One consists of tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, snow leopard and two species of clouded leopard.  The other one consists of puma, cheetah, lynxes and loads of smaller felids.  It is the later group which the housecat comes from.  More specifically it belongs to the genus of cats.  This includes jungle cat (Felis chaus), sand cat (Felis margarita), black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) and wildcat (Felis silvestris).

In large parts of the Old World the wildcat is indigenous.  The housecat arose in West Asia in connection with the development of agriculture.  Grain storages attracted small rodents which in turn attracted cats.  Their food was so concentrated it became advantageous to them to stand each other.  This is the largest behavioural difference between housecat and wildcat.  We have not fully domesticated them.  Rather the have evolved a mutualistic relationship with humanity.  They stand by carrying and stroking in exchange of us providing them with food and shelter.  However, they still have to grow up with people to accept touching.

The result is a psychology which differs from other tame animals.  If I understand it correctly cats hate to be forced into things.  Cats can be taught some things but can’t be braked.  Few cats accept for example being held in leash.  I think it is then mostly the cat deciding where they should walk.  Some cats have too thick fur to keep it clean themselves.  Such have to get used to being washed by humans already as kittens.  Otherwise they would never stand by this.

The very most of cats chose themselves who they mate with.  Then local populations form rather than intentionally developed breeds.  Such can adapt to the local climate.  The Siamese’s particular colour pattern has been established this way.  In modern times cat breeds has been developed from such.  Which has not always worked that well.  Many present-day Persian cats have a muzzle so short it causes problems to them.  This also applies to the Exotic Shorthair which is a shorthaired version of it.

In some cases housecats are crossbred with other small felids.  Housecat has been crossbred with jungle cat and the kittens crossbred with housecat.  Those which are one forth jungle cat are crossbred further with housecat.  So the breeding with housecat continues generation after generation.  After at least four generations the descendants become suitable pets.  In the same way housecat has been crossbred with serval.  In such a case I think only the females are fertile.  Same applies to crossbreds with leopard cat and margay.  Housecats with descent from such has been used in deliberate breeding to create the breed of Bengal.  It can have a type of spots not occurring in other housecats.

Uploaded on the 22nd of January 2025.