Cat, A small History
It has been suggested that the Egyptians initially used the cat to control the rodent population which continually destroyed crops. This seems to be a reasonable speculation, but it's obvious that the cat meant much more to the Egyptians than that. Kingdoms don't loose wars merely for the sake of four-legged mousetraps.

But eventually domesticated cats did find their way out of Egypt thanks to the Greeks who stole the animals to control their own rodent problem, and to use as powerful bargaining chips in international trade. This didn't go over so well with the Egyptians. In fact, one Pharaoh sent out his army to various lands in a futile effort to recapture the liberated felines and return them home to Egypt.

Unfortunately for the Egyptians, it was too late. Warfare and trade had resulted in the distribution of domesticated cats throughout the Mediterranean and perhaps by this time, even as far as Asia. The Egyptian monopoly on domestic cats had at last come to an end.

Over the subsequent centuries, the domesticated cat proliferated throughout Europe, the Middle East, and China. Though no longer worshipped as deities, cats were still honored and appreciated for their mousing abilities no matter where they turned up. By the 11th Century, about the time the Crusades began, cats were in huge demand since the rats were beginning to overrun the cities. Domesticated cats could now be found as far as Scotland.

But cats persevered. In fact, they flourished. Centuries passed as people of various cultures spread diverse influences across the globe, while the stoic cat accompanied this progress each step of the way. And through it all, the cat has thankfully retained its independent qualities, its silent contemplative nature, its persona of supernatural wisdom.

As the Middle Ages came to an end, the popularity of the cat increased again in Europe and all over the world. Cats became admired pets once more and this time not necessarily for their hunting skills. New exotic breeds were imported to Britain from all over the empire, and the nineteenth century saw a rising interest in the breeding and showing of purebred cats. The first official cat show was held in 1871 in London's Crystal Palace.

Unfortunately, the cat's ability to survive in harsh conditions has also created a serious problem of overpopulation. Too many cats end their lives as strays and feral cats struggling for a meager existence, or at animal shelters. It is our duty as cat owners to take care of this situation. If we prevent the birth of unwanted kittens, then in the long-run most cats will have good homes. Only then can we truly say that the cat's story has reached a happy stage in the twenty-first century.

Once royalty in Egypt, cats today have not forgotten their heritage. Lucky for us, the cat is here to stay.