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New research described by Live Science in March found that domestic cats likely made their way to China along the Silk Road over a thousand years ago.
“Cats were initially regarded as prized, exotic pets,” study co-author Shu-Jin Luo told the outlet. “Cats’ mysterious behaviors — alternating between distant and affectionate — added an air of mystique.” The modern domestic cat descended from African wildcats and have been living alongside humans for more than 10,000 years, the outlet noted. Our feline friends only made their way to Europe roughly 3,000 years ago, the new study found, before merchants and diplomats took them East.
“Archaeological evidence shows that long before the arrival of domestic cats in China, people in rural Chinese communities lived alongside native leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis). Researchers have previously found leopard cat bones dating to 5,400 years ago in an ancient farming village in the northwestern Shaanxi province,” Live Science wrote. (POPULAR POLL: Are You a fan of President Trump’s Cabinet?)
Rare Kitties
The cats gifted to merchants are believed to have been all-white or mackerel tabbies. The proportion of white cats is still higher in East Asia today than compared to the rest of the world. “Ancient Chinese people even performed specific religious rituals when bringing a cat into their homes, viewing them not as mere possessions but as honored guests,” Luo added, noting the popularity of the now-divisive pets.
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