Summary
Highlights
Cats are popular, yet famously enigmatic and unreadable. Scientists are now using molecular genetics and neuroscience to understand their history, behavior, and why humans are so attracted to them, noting the instinctive emotional response elicited by a cat's meow.
Professor Morten Kringelbach's research using MEG scans shows that a cat's meow triggers a similar instinctive emotional response in the human brain as a baby's cry, suggesting cats have learned to activate our caregiving instincts. While cats may not consciously manipulate us, they do know what works.
Cats are less expressive than dogs due to different facial musculature, making it difficult for humans to read their emotions. However, research by Lauren Finka suggests cats can communicate pain through subtle facial markers. Cats also appear to read human emotions, reacting more strongly to their owners' positive and negative expressions than to strangers'.
Domestic cats evolved from Felis silvestris, the wildcat, a smaller feline species that relies on stealth rather than brute force. Genetic research shows that domestic cats descended specifically from Felis silvestris lybica, the North African wildcat.
The discovery of a 9,500-year-old cat burial alongside a human in Cyprus provides the earliest evidence of human-cat interaction. The cat's large size suggests it was fed by humans, indicating a level of domestication. Mitochondrial DNA analysis confirms that domestic cats diverged from wildcats around 10,000 years ago, coinciding with the rise of agriculture and human settlements.
The development of agriculture led to grain storage, attracting rodents. Cats, with their superior hearing and hunting skills, were drawn to these settlements, providing natural pest control. This symbiotic relationship led to cats with less fear of humans being favored, leading to genetic changes for docility and friendliness.
Ancient Egyptians revered cats for their pest control abilities, associating them with the sun god Ra. The cat goddess Bastet became highly popular, leading to extensive breeding programs. This intensive breeding inadvertently changed cats' physical appearance (e.g., orange coat mutation) and behavior, making them more social and tolerant of other cats and humans.
Egyptian cats spread globally via trade ships, valued for rodent control. Vikings, in particular, favored orange cats, contributing to their genetic distribution in Europe. However, in medieval Europe, cats faced persecution, being accused of association with Satan, leading to widespread killing. Their unique night vision, allowing their eyes to 'glow' in the dark, contributed to superstitious fear.
The Siamese cat evolved in Thailand through natural genetic drift, developing a unique color pattern due to a thermosensitive mutation. In the late 1800s, human-assisted breeding boomed, creating a vast array of breeds like the Maine Coon and Ragdoll, driven by novelty selection and status symbol appeal.
Despite domestication, cats retain their wild instincts. Feral cats, once pets or their descendants, demonstrate this wildness, highlighting the importance of the narrow socialization window for kittens to become friendly house companions. Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) programs manage feral populations to prevent disease and overpopulation.
Cats can be trained, but unlike dogs who seek to please, cats are motivated by rewards, primarily food, as demonstrated by Samantha Martin's Acro-Cats. The future of cats involves hybrid breeds like the Bengal, Chausie, and Savannah, which blend domestic cats with wild species, bringing a 'wild look' into homes while attempting to breed out undesirable wild traits.
Over 10,000 years, cats have traveled the world, been worshipped and feared, manipulated human emotions, and maintained their independent nature. Despite genetic changes, their wild essence endures, making them a unique and popular consumer pet, bringing a 'little bit of the wild' to millions of homes.