How did cats become pets?

Cats around the world are among the most popular pets today. The history of cats and humans derives back before they were even domesticated. Unlike dogs, however, we can more confidently trace cats to the region of their domestication, namely the Middle East. By at about 80000 BC, Felis silvestris, a wild cat species, became the origin of what became the domesticated cat (Felis catus). Because cats have evolved relatively little from their wild ancestor, we can understand their development in the Middle East and beyond more clearly than dogs.

Domestication and Early History

Anatomically, it is difficult to distinguish wild and domestic cats. In fact, in early Neolithic societies even before 8000-7000 BC, it is possible or even likely wild cats or early domesticated cats would have lived in villages. They may have simply stayed near villages rather than been actively domesticated initially, which may explain why their anatomy has not changed. In effect, cats could have been one of these rare species that could have domesticated itself as it adapted to humans through its own choice.