HISTORY OF CATS

Cat Ancestors
Origins of the Cat-The most likely candidate for the ancient ancestor of the domestic cat is Martelli's wild cat (Felis lumensis), a species which is now extinct. About 600,000 to 900,000 years ago it probably gave rise to another species, Felis silvestris, from which three distinct types evolved according to the region and environment which they lived in. These were the central European or Forest wild cat (F. silvestris silvestris), the Asiatic desert cat (F. silvestris ornata) and the African wild cat (F. silvestris lybica). The African wild cat inhabited most of Asia and North Africa, and because the process of domestication of the cat occurred mainly in the Middle East, the African wild cat was almost certainly the principle ancestor of the modern domestic cat. Consider the environment and diet of the African wild cat then try to relate that to how we care for our pet cats.