The history of the world according to cats
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Unsinkable Sam: The Cat that Survived the War
On May 27, 1941, the German battleship Bismarck sank during a fierce firefight, leaving only 118 of its 2,200 crew members alive. But when a British destroyer arrived to collect the prisoners, they found an unexpected survivor – a black and white cat clinging to a floating plank. For the next several months, this cat hunted rats and lifted British morale until a sudden torpedo strike shattered the ship’s hull and sank it. Miraculously, the cat, nicknamed “Unsinkable Sam,” survived and rode to Gibraltar with the rescued crew. He then served as a ship’s cat on three more vessels – one of which also sank – before retiring to the Belfast Home for Sailors.
Domestication of Cats
Many people may not consider cats to be serviceable sailors or cooperative companions of any kind. But cats have been working with humans for thousands of years – helping us just as often as we help them. So, how did these solitary creatures go from wild predators to naval officers to couch-side companions? The domestication of the modern house cat can be traced back more than 10,000 years ago to the Fezzan region of Libya.
Early Interactions Between Cats and Humans
At the start of the Neolithic era, people were learning to control nature, producing more food than farmers could eat at one time. To store their excess grain, Neolithic farmers used large pits and short, clay silos. These stores of food, however, attracted hordes of rodents and their predators – Felis silvestris lybica, the wildcat found across North Africa and Southwest Asia. These wildcats were fast, fierce, and carnivorous hunters, similar in size and appearance to today’s domestic cats, but with differences. Ancient wildcats were more muscular, had striped coats, and were less social towards other cats and humans.
Domestication Process and the Migration of Cats
The abundance of prey in the rodent-infested granaries drew in these typically solitary animals. As the wildcats learned to tolerate the presence of humans and other cats at mealtime, the farmers, in turn, tolerated the cats in exchange for free pest control. The relationship between humans and wildcats was so beneficial that the cats migrated with Neolithic people to other parts of the world. Cat breeds are believed to have been transported on the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Cats in Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire
Farmers from Anatolia brought cats with them into Europe and the Mediterranean, as vermin were a major problem in the seas. Cats had been essential sailing companions for a long time, eating provisions and gnawing at ropes. Around the same time, Egyptian cats were domesticated and revered for their ability to dispatch venomous snakes, catch birds, and kill rats. This made them important to Egyptian religious culture, and they were immortalized in frescoes, hieroglyphs, statues, and tombs, often being mummified alongside their owners.
Cats as Nautical Companions
Egyptian ship cats cruised the Nile, keeping poisonous river snakes at bay. After moving on to larger vessels, they began to travel from port to port. During the Roman Empire, ships traveling between India and Egypt carried the lineage of the central Asian wildcat F. s. ornata. In the Middle Ages, Egyptian cats traveled up to the Baltic Sea on the ships of Viking seafarers. Both the Near Eastern and North African cat breeds are believed to have been transported on the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Modern House Cats
Wildcats, which were probably domesticated by then, continued to travel across Europe and eventually set sail for Australia and the Americas. Today, most house cats have descended from either the Near Eastern or Egyptian lineage of F.s.lybica. However, close analysis of the genomes and coat patterns of modern cats shows that, unlike dogs, which have undergone centuries of selective breeding, modern cats are genetically very similar to ancient cats. We have done little to alter their natural behaviors apart from making them more social and docile. This means that cats today are largely unchanged from their ancestors. They are still independent and solitary creatures, fierce hunters at heart, and they do not see humans as their keepers. Despite this, the relationship between humans and cats has stood the test of time and remains strong to this day. Whether it’s for the purpose of catching mice, providing comfort, or simply enjoying their company, cats have been a valuable part of our lives for thousands of years. And given our long history together, they might just be here to stay.
Discussion Questions
- What do you think it was like for Unsinkable Sam when the British destroyer picked him up?
- Have you ever heard of another instance of an animal surviving a ship disaster?
- Why do you think cats were so important to Egyptian culture?
- What do you think motivated farmers to enter into a relationship with wildcats?
- What do you think has kept cats so genetically similar to their ancient ancestors?
- What do you think makes cats both wild animals and docile companions?
- How do you think cats have adapted over the years to their relationship with humans?
- How do you think the relationship between cats and humans will continue to evolve in the future?
Lesson Vocabulary
Domestication – The process of taming and breeding wild animals, plants, and fungi to be more useful for human use – Example Sentence: Domestication of cattle and goats allowed early humans to have a reliable source of food.
Neolithic – The period of time from about 10,000 to 4,000 BCE when humans began transitioning from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to an agricultural one -Example Sentence: The Neolithic period marked the beginning of civilization as we know it today.
Felis silvestris lybica – The scientific name for the subspecies of wildcat found in the Near East and North Africa – Example Sentence: Felis silvestris lybica is the scientific name for the wildcat that is believed to be the ancestor of our modern-day house cats.
Neolithic era – The period of time from about 10,000 to 4,000 BCE when humans began transitioning from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to an agricultural one – Example Sentence: The Neolithic era saw the emergence of civilizations in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley.
Wildcat – A species of small wild cats that still exists today, believed to be the ancestor of our modern-day house cats – Example Sentence: The wildcat is believed to have been domesticated from the wildcat around 10,000 years ago in the Near East.
Anatolia – A historical region in Western Asia comprising the majority of what is now Turkey – Example Sentence: The domestication of wildcats is believed to have originated in Anatolia during the Neolithic period.
Egyptian – The ancient civilization located along the Nile River in ancient North Africa – Example Sentence: The earliest known domesticated cats were found in Egyptian tombs, suggesting they were popular among the ancient Egyptians.
Roman Empire – A large empire stretching from Britain in the west to Egypt in the east, founded and ruled by the Romans from 27 BC to 476 AD – Example Sentence: Cats were popular among Roman citizens and were even said to be goddesses to some, due to the Roman Empire’s polytheistic religion.
Middle Ages – The period of European history between the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century and the beginning of the Renaissance in the 15th century – Example Sentence: Cats were popular in the Middle Ages and seen as symbols of good luck and protection from evil.
Viking – Norse seafarers from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden who raided and traded from the 8th to 11th centuries – Example Sentence: Vikings are believed to have introduced cats to Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages.
Near Eastern – English term referring to the geographic region near the Middle East – Example Sentence: Cats are believed to have been domesticated from a wildcat species native to the Near Eastern region around 10,000 years ago.
North African – English term referring to the geographic region in northern Africa – Example Sentence: Wildcats are native to North African regions such as Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria.
Australia – The world’s smallest continent located in the southern hemisphere – Example Sentence: Cats were not introduced to Australia until the 18th century during European colonization.
Americas – The continents of North and South America – Example Sentence: Cats were brought over to the Americas by European settlers in the 16th century.
Genomes – The genetic material of a living organism – Example Sentence: Scientists have been able to map the genomes of domesticated cats to determine their origins from a wildcat ancestor.
Coat Patterns – The colors and markings on the fur of a living organism – Example Sentence: Different coat patterns evolved in domesticated cats due to the process of selective breeding.
Selective Breeding – The process of breeding certain species for desired traits – Example Sentence: Selective breeding of cats has resulted in the development of many different varieties and colors of domesticated cats.
Docile – Having a calm and gentle nature – Example Sentence: Domesticated cats are generally more docile than their wildcat ancestors.
Wild Animals – Animals that exist in nature unrestrained and unaltered by humans – Example Sentence: Wild animals often possess traits that make them difficult to domesticate.
Fierce Hunters – Animals that are aggressive and powerful hunters in the wild – Example Sentence: Wildcats are fierce hunters and powerful predators in their natural habitat.
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- Categories: Social Studies, TED Ed, Video Lessons
- Keywords: Anatolia, coat patterns, docile, domestication, Egyptian, genomes, Middle Ages, Near Eastern, Neolithic era, Roman Empire, selective breeding, Viking, wild animals, wildcat
