Domestic Cats Arrived in Europe 2,000 Years Ago, Study Finds
Genomic analyses of cat remains from nearly 100 archaeological sites indicate that domestic cats arrived in Europe from North Africa approximately 2,000 years ago, challenging prior assumptions of an earlier arrival from the Near East.
New genomic analyses suggest that domestic cats did not arrive in Europe alongside Neolithic farmers from the Near East as previously assumed, but rather several millennia later. Research involving Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) and an international team indicates that cats were introduced to Europe from North Africa around 2,000 years ago.
The study, published in Science, analyzed DNA from 87 ancient and modern cat genomes retrieved from 97 archaeological sites across Europe and Anatolia. The oldest samples dated back approximately 11,000 years. The findings challenge earlier theories that placed the cats' arrival in Europe between 6,000 and 7,000 years ago with migrating agricultural communities.
Researchers propose that North African wildcats, likely attracted to settlements and ports by abundant food sources like rodents and waste from fishing, were transported to Europe by sailors. Two distinct North African populations were identified; one reached Sardinia, establishing a surviving wildcat population, while the other spread to the European mainland during Roman times, significantly contributing to the modern domestic cat gene pool.
This research highlights the complex history of cat domestication and spread. The Bavarian State Collection of Palaeoanatomy at LMU contributed important sample material to the study, which was directed by professors from the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.