| People have admired the beauty and mystery of | | | | descendants of European "immigrant" cats. For awhile, |
| cats for thousands of years. As early as 3500 B.C., | | | | cats continued to be valued, especially for their help |
| the ancient Egyptians were awed by these | | | | in protecting food supplies on ships and in new |
| fascinating creatures. The Egyptians began to tame | | | | settlements from mice and rodents. But in the late |
| wildcats from Africa and keep them as treasured | | | | 1600's with the Salem witch trials, cats and their |
| pets. This reverence for felines is clearly represented | | | | owners once again became unjustly associated with |
| in Egyptian artwork. By 1500 B.C., cats were | | | | evil. Fortunately, this changed again as people began |
| considered sacred animals in Egypt, and anyone who | | | | to realize the injustice in their treatment of those |
| killed a cat could be put to death. Many Egyptian | | | | wrongly accused of witchcraft and their cats. |
| gods have the bodies of cats, and the ancient | | | | In the mid-1700's, short hair cats were once again |
| Egyptian people shaved their eyebrows to grieve the | | | | happily about the business of controlling rodent |
| loss of their pet cats. | | | | plagues, this time in Pennsylvania. As more colonists |
| Around 1000 B.C., traders began bringing cats to | | | | came to the New World, the cat population grew. |
| Europe and the Middle East. The ancient Greeks and | | | | Cats that made it across the ocean were strong and |
| Romans prized cats for their ability to control rodent | | | | rugged hunters, and it is believed that the colonies |
| populations, and the cat soon became the guardian | | | | would not have survived without cats to help |
| spirit of households. The popularity of felines also | | | | prevent the spread of disease carried by rodents. |
| spread throughout Asia, where they were used to | | | | Cats continued to protect people during the 1800's as |
| protect valuable silkworm cocoons from rodents. In | | | | people began to move west. At first, cats were |
| fact, the silk industry would not have been able to | | | | conspicuously left out when families gathered their |
| thrive in Asia without cats! As they were in Egypt, | | | | livestock and Wagon trains packed with grain and |
| cats became celebrated in the art and literature of | | | | headed toward uncharted territories. It wasn't long |
| China and Japan. | | | | before the grain feel prey to rodents, and people |
| Cats were not so popular during the Middle Ages, | | | | soon realized the error of leaving their cats behind! By |
| however. In fact, they became associated with evil | | | | the Gold Rush of 1849, cats were sold for up to $50, |
| and witchcraft in Europe, and thousands of felines | | | | a small fortune at the time. In 1884, when San |
| were killed out of fear. But nature had her revenge. | | | | Francisco was inundated with yet another rat plague, |
| The destruction of cats led to a surge in the rodent | | | | people were willing to pay up to $100 for a cat. |
| population that spread the bubonic plague in the | | | | Today, more than 65 million cats grace our homes |
| 1300's. Europeans soon came to realize the value of | | | | with companionship, and the cat is by far the most |
| cats, and in time felines regained their popular status. | | | | popular house pet. There are nearly 40 different |
| In the 1600's, when Europeans began to settle in the | | | | breeds, with Persian, Siamese, Exotic Short hair and |
| New World, they brought their cats with them. Most | | | | Domestic Short hair among the most common feline |
| of the domestic cats in America today are | | | | pets. |