DependÂing on how you feel about cats, the feline sitÂuÂaÂtion on the island of Cyprus is either the stuff of a delightÂful children’s stoÂry or a horÂror film to be avoidÂed at all cost.
Despite being surÂroundÂed on all sides by water, the cat popÂuÂlaÂtion—an estiÂmatÂed 1.5 milÂlion—curÂrentÂly outÂnumÂbers human resÂiÂdents. The overÂwhelmÂing majorÂiÂty are ferÂal, though as we learn in the above episode of PBS’ EONS, they, too, can be conÂsidÂered domesÂtiÂcatÂed. Like the othÂer 600,000,000-some livÂing memÂbers of Felis Catus on planÂet Earth—which is to say the type of beast we assoÂciate with litÂterÂboxÂes, laser pointÂers, and TenÂder Vittles—they are descendÂed from a sinÂgle subÂspecies of African wildÂcat, Felis SilÂvestris LybiÂca.
While there’s no sinÂgle narÂraÂtive explainÂing how cats came to domÂiÂnate Cyprus, the stoÂry of their globÂal domesÂtiÂcaÂtion is not an uncomÂmon one:
An ancient effiÂcienÂcy expert realÂized that herdÂing cats was a much betÂter use of time than huntÂing them, and the idea quickÂly spread to neighÂborÂing comÂmuÂniÂties.
KidÂding. There’s no such thing as herdÂing cats (though there is a ChicaÂgo-based cat cirÂcus, whose founder motiÂvates her skateÂboard-ridÂing, barÂrel-rolling, high-wire-walkÂing stars with posÂiÂtive reinÂforceÂment…)
Instead, cats took a comÂmenÂsal path to domesÂtiÂcaÂtion, lured by their belÂlies and celÂeÂbratÂed curiosÂiÂty.
Ol’ Felis (Felix!) SilÂvestris (SufÂferin’ SucÂcoÂtash!) LybiÂca couldn’t help noticÂing how human setÂtleÂments boastÂed genÂerÂous supÂplies of food, includÂing large numÂbers of tasty mice and othÂer rodents attractÂed by the grain stores.
Her inadÂverÂtent human hosts grew to valÂue her pest conÂtrol capaÂbilÂiÂties, and culÂtiÂvatÂed the relaÂtionÂship… or at the very least, refrained from devourÂing every cat that wanÂdered into camp.
EvenÂtuÂalÂly, things got to the point where one 5600-year-old specÂiÂmen from northÂwestÂern ChiÂna was revealed to have died with more milÂlet than mouse meat in its system—a pet in both name and popÂuÂlar senÂtiÂment.
Chow chow chow.
InterÂestÂingÂly, while today’s house cats’ gene pool leads back to that one sub-species of wild mackÂerÂel-tabÂby, it’s imposÂsiÂble to isoÂlate domesÂtiÂcaÂtion to a sinÂgle time and place.
Both archeÂoÂlogÂiÂcal eviÂdence and genome analyÂsis supÂport the idea that cats were domesÂtiÂcatÂed both 10,000 years ago in SouthÂwest Asia… and then again in Egypt 6500 years latÂer.
At some point, a human and cat travÂeled togethÂer to Cyprus and the rest is hisÂtoÂry, an InterÂnet senÂsaÂtion and an if you can’t beat em, join em tourist attracÂtion.
Such high end island hotels as Pissouri’s ColumÂbia Beach Resort and TUI SenÂsatori Resort AtlantiÂca Aphrodite Hills in Paphos have startÂed caterÂing to the ever-swelling numÂbers of uninÂvitÂed, four-legged locals with a robust regÂiÂmen of healthÂcare, shelÂter, and food, served in feline-speÂcifÂic tavÂerÂnas.
An island charÂiÂty known as Cat P.A.W.S. (ProÂtectÂing AniÂmals WithÂout ShelÂter) appeals to visÂiÂtors for donaÂtions to defray the cost of neuÂterÂing the masÂsive ferÂal popÂuÂlaÂtion.
SomeÂtimes they even manÂage to send a furÂry Cyprus native off to a new home with a forÂeign holÂiÂdayÂmakÂer.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
An AniÂmatÂed HisÂtoÂry of Cats: How Over 10,000 Years the Cat Went from Wild PredaÂtor to Sofa SideÂkick
Medieval Cats BehavÂing BadÂly: KitÂties That Left Paw Prints … and Peed … on 15th CenÂtuÂry ManÂuÂscripts
A New PhoÂto Book DocÂuÂments the WonÂderÂful HomeÂmade Cat LadÂders of SwitzerÂland
Ayun HalÂlÂiÂday is an author, illusÂtraÂtor, theÂater makÂer and Chief PriÂmaÂtolÂoÂgist of the East VilÂlage Inky zine. Join her in NYC on MonÂday, FebÂruÂary 3 when her monthÂly book-based variÂety show, NecroÂmancers of the PubÂlic Domain celÂeÂbrates New York, The Nation’s MetropÂoÂlis (1921). FolÂlow her @AyunHalliday.