Cats have been common pets for thousands of years. Cats are present in people's daily lives. They can be seen on YouTube, in cartoons and in many films. Cats have infiltrated people's lives without them even realizing it. We treat them like a normal family member. We buy them toys, food and anything else they might need. We go out of our way for our cats. We are used to their presence in our homes and on our streets. They have been with humans for decades, but have we ever thought about how they became so common in our lives or what the little furry animal running around the house actually is. Many people wonder how cats were domesticated. Cats are thought to domesticate themselves because people didn't go out keeping cats to catch them. Cats traveled alongside humans, knowing that their grain would attract prey. They hung around quite humanely, they developed a basic trust and were able to live alongside us without fear. The cats did not need to be domesticated but decided to domesticate themselves to better enjoy their lives. Traveling alongside humans allows you to better protect yourself and your kittens. Predators tended to stay away from human cities, which helped the cats stay safe. The barns that farmers built were perfect shelters for cats with an endless supply of prey to hunt. People's original intention for cats was to catch rodents and protect farmers' fields. They created a reciprocal relationship that would last thousands of years into the future. This small relationship grew into a huge bond that led cats to domestication. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssayA domestic cat is also known as Felis Catus. They are small, carnivorous, nocturnal animals that humans keep as pets. They are found all over the world and throughout history. Cats are related to more undomesticated cats such as lions, tigers and leopards. They have many similarities between them, such as body structures, eating habits, and 95% of the same DNA strands. Small wildcats are closely related to the larger wildcat. The natural instinct to kill and hunt still develops in undomesticated and domesticated cats. Lions and tigers can hunt larger prey like zebras, deer and wildebeest. Pets can only hunt small prey like mice, birds and rabbits. The size of the prey differs widely, but the desire to hunt is still present in both cats. They may be almost identical, but there is a huge difference between them. We don't have tigers or lions running through our streets, but we do have stray cats all over the streets. Domestic cats have managed to overcome their natural wild instincts and take up residence on people's laps. We transformed a small carnivorous wild animal into a domestic pet. A pet that will crawl on your lap and purr for hours. All cats are the same species, but vary in many characteristics. An example is the color and pattern of a cat's coat. Their coat color can affect many factors, such as how they hunt, how they are adopted, and even whether they are chosen formate. Fur color can change the way a cat hunts. If they are yellow with stripes, they will be able to hunt in tall grass and blend in without being spotted. A white cat can hunt easily in the snow while a black cat can hunt at night without being caught. Cats did not lose their distinctive colors and patterns when they became domesticated. Cats can eat store-bought cat food that we buy for them, but they still have their natural calling to hunt. Cats use their colors to their advantage when hunting and through domestication that has never disappeared from their genes. Cats bring home dead birds, mice, and squirrels to their humans to show off what they've caught, and their fur plays an important role in hunting. Another Color of CoatWhat we do for cats is help them get adopted. A cat with more attractive markings helps cats get adopted by people. When in the pound, a calico cat will more likely be chosen than a simple black cat. Their coat color helps them survive in the adoption world. A cat can also choose a mate based on the color of their coat. A domestic cat that lives in a warm house does not need to have thick, warm fur, so they can breed with a short-haired cat to help their babies not have the long-haired characteristic. Cats will choose a mate based on the color and pattern of their fur to improve their chances of their kittens being chosen for adoption. The domestic cat has understood the special treatment it receives if it becomes a human's pet. They no longer have to worry about hunting, predators and survival. They can lie down and play without fear of the outside world. Cats have benefited from being domesticated by humans. It's no secret that we spoil our cats to the point that they become overweight and lazy. On average, a cat sleeps twelve to sixteen hours a day and if they were in the wild, it wouldn't be so easy for them. Cats know that being domesticated leads to a life of luxury. Cats are entitled to freedoms in the home that other animals cannot obtain. They are very independent animals and people find this very attractive in cats. They don't have to worry about their cat going to the toilet or bathing their cat. Cats don't depend much on humans to live. Cats are able to hunt and survive on their own with no problem, they just use humans to make their lives easier. Cats can be domesticated, but they don't need to be domesticated to survive. They know that if they get housing, they won't have to worry about the difficulties of the outside world. We have neglected the real reasons why cats are domesticated. Man did not domesticate cats, it was the cats who domesticated themselves. Cats have lived alongside humans for thousands of years without being domesticated. The cats have chased away mice around farmers' crops and rodents lingering around homes. Cats have used people's lifestyles to improve their own lives. A domestic cat gains free food and shelter by becoming a pet. They were able to stay with humans for so long, to the point where at first we tolerated their existence and now we accept them into our home as a loving member of our family. They have managed to slowly introduce themselves into human homes after years of presence. People started to get interested in small rodent exterminators and let them get close to them, to the point of theirallow them to sleep on their laps and in their bed. We have developed a tender heart for formerly wild cats. Over years of bonding and partnerships, cats have become a part of humans' lives. They've gone from wild animals to animals that appear everywhere from TV shows to cartoons on t-shirts. They have gone from struggling to survive in the wild to thriving within the human household. Cats no longer have to worry about the inconveniences of living alone. They were able to become a common pet thanks to hunting rodents. Many studies have shown that cats were first domesticated in ancient Egypt. The domestication of Egyptian cats dates back around 4,000 years. Cats roamed along the Nile, where there were many grain fields, and hunted rodents and vermin. This leads to affection from humans. Cats were praised for chasing away rodents. The bond between cat and human began with a mutual relationship. Farmers allowed the cats to stay around because they kept the rodent population low and away from their grain fields. The cats were able to eat the rodents hanging around the grain silos and a free place to stay. Another reason is that Egyptians worship cats as gods and goddesses and treat them like kings. There are many tombs covered in paintings of cats and Egyptians worshiping them. If a cat died, it would be mummified and buried with mummified mice and other beloved treasures. They would often be buried with their owner or in their own special grave. An ancient Egyptian goddess named Bast had the head of a cat and the body of a woman. This goddess represented love and fertility and it was believed that having a cat in the home was a blessing for women with many children. The Egyptians also used cats to hunt and bring food back to the family. They took their cats out on leashes to chase birds. Their owner would throw something to know a bird, then take off the cat's leash to go get the bird for him. Domesticating a cat in ancient Egypt was considered good luck and would bring a lot of love to your family. Cats were not allowed to be traded or sold via sea trade, but that didn't stop sailors from taking cats anyway. Sailors found cats useful on their ships for hunting rodents. The cats were able to have a good meal while keeping the mice away from the precious cereal. Sailors were also able to trade domestic cats when people realized how valuable rodent killers were. This trade led to the rise of the cat as a human companion. The spread of cats around the world has begun to intensify in many countries. The domestic cat moved from northeast Africa and southwest Asia to southern Europe. The Romans were the first to come into contact with the Egyptian cat trade. They appreciated skilled hunters and the way they got rid of rodents. The Romans were then able to begin trading cats to other countries. The Roman cat trade was particularly useful to other Europeans when the Black Death broke out in the 14th century. The illness began with a disease transmitted by a rat and caused by a flea. Since rats are the main prey of cats, the demand from hunters has increased significantly. Cats had easy food while stopping the spread of the Black Death. Unfortunately, cats are nocturnal creatures and have come to be associated with the devil. THEPeople began to reject domestic cats and kill them. The rat population increased and more people died because the cats no longer killed the mice. Soon, people realized that they needed the cats and began accepting them into their homes. Domestic cats first arrived in America when settlers began to settle there. They used cats to keep mice away from the crops they brought back from Europe. They followed humans as companions throughout the colonization of the Americas. Americans continued to keep cats to keep their grain and barns stocked. Travelers also believed that cats brought luck and good fortune. Cats have traveled the world with humans for one fundamental reason: the extermination of rodents. A surprising discovery in 2001 was that of a cat skeleton buried next to a human skeleton in southern Cyprus. Scientists thought this could push back the presence of domestic cats for another 5,000 years, which could be as far back as 9,500 years. This has led scientists to question whether domestication actually took place in ancient Egypt. The skeletons of the cat and the human were only sixteen inches apart and both were in perfect condition. Both were at the same depth and in the same sediments, showing they were buried together. It is rare to find two skeletons like this unless they are buried together. The cat was identified at just 8 months old, suggesting it may have been killed to be buried with its owner. There is no real evidence that the cat was truly domesticated by man at this time, but this small clue may lead to more evidence of cat domestication in Cyprus. Many still believe that the domestication of cats began in North Africa and South Asia. There is more evidence and proof behind this theory. Paintings and sculptures inside ancient pyramids and tombs have provided pure evidence of the relationship between man and cat. Cats were even buried in the tombs of the pharaohs. Cats were killed just to go to the afterlife with their owners and were believed to help the dead pass into the spirit realm. The facts lead to cats originating in ancient Egypt and being spread commercially throughout the world. Domestic cats have made a huge impact by being domesticated. They were able to help people by providing comfort, pest control and companionship. Cats are able to keep people comfortable and happy by showing them affection. People feel comfortable with cats and can relax. They can feel safe with a cat who loves them. This characteristic of the cat is one of the main reasons why the cat was domesticated. They are able to make people feel warmth and happiness simply by purring to them. A cat's purring has been medically proven to calm a human's heart. A cat's purring ranges from 20 to 140 Hz, which is therapeutic for humans. A person who owns a cat is 40% less likely to have a heart attack. The presence of a cat is relaxing for many people because as a whole, cats are a calm and independent species. Cats do not need to be taken out to use the toilet and are able to fend for themselves. As throughout history, cats have been used to combat parasites and are still used today for the same reason. Farmers have barn cats to keep rodents away from cops and livestock. Cats catch mice around.