The domestic cat is now the world’s most popular pet, but catswere not always
tame. The relationship between humans and cats began in the Near East about
10,000 years ago, when cats killed the rodents that ate grain stored in towns
and villages. They were kept as pets in Egypt from about 2000 BCE, but the
different breeds have only been created over the last hundred years or so.
In the late 19th century the breeding and showing of cats began in earnest, and
cat enthusiasts became known as “cat fanciers.” Cat registries were established
to set breed standards and to store the genealogies of purebred cats.
Today, there are several international cat registries, and more than 100 different
cat breeds, though not all registries recognize the same ones. Breeds are defined
by characteristics such as body and head shape; coat color and pattern; eye shape
and color; and temperament; as well as by unusual features such as hairlessness,
short tails, and folded ears. *
"Time spent with cats is never wasted."
"Cats choose us; we don't own them."
"Anyone who believes what a cat tells him deserves all he gets."