Cat Tales: A History

Archaeologist Moore (Ancient Andean Homes) offers an exhaustive account of the entwined evolution of felines and humans. Initially, Moore explains, interspecies interaction was limited to that of prey and hunter—that is to say, cats hunted humans (as verified by the fang holes in fossilized hominin skulls). Moore then surveys prehistory and early history—from Paleolithic paintings of leopards to ancient Egyptian cat worship—noting that cats were one of the last animals to be domesticated. Dogs began living side by side with humans 30,000 years ago, followed by most livestock 10,000 years ago. Humans set the stage for cat domestication only about 6,000 years ago, when they started gathering in densely populated communities and storing grain, which was quickly set upon by what came to be the house mouse. This finally gave cats a job—though Moore notes that mousing is more efficiently carried out by terriers and ferrets, adding greatly to the mystery of the house cat’s ascendance, along with the fact that only one species, the African wildcat, is the ancestor of all domestic cats. As humans took to the sea, cats came along, spreading their descendants across the world. Moore’s account is somewhat dry and academic, though he does have a wry edge (“I have lived with several cats. I haven’t understood any of them”). This will enlighten cat lovers. Illus. (Sept.)