jjares reviewed The Domestication of Cats: The History of the Only Domesticated Felidae Species and Their Relationship with Humans on + 3275 more book reviews
OK, I'm part of the puny number of folks who tolerate cats. I strongly believe the following quote from Robert J. Vogel: ' A dog is a man's best friend. A cat is a cat's best friend.' Felines are a bit too independent for my tastes but I've always been curious about the origins of cats, how they are different from the larger cats, and why humans put up with such irascible animals. This book answers those questions and many more.
Perhaps, if you are a 'cat person' then you know the various breeds of cats. I don't. First, let me admit my aggravation; I sure would have loved to have seen photos of the bunches of felines mentioned. There were a couple, but not the pure-breeds that were mentioned in the later pages. However, I opened a tab and googled the felines mentioned. Fortunately, I found a website that showed the top 60 felines (cats breeds list), and then things were purrrrrfect.
*Cats were around before the invention of the wheel
*Cats seem to have come from Asia and gradually traveled with the upper class to other countries and continents
*The Father of Modern House Cats emerged about 150,000 years ago
*Shockingly, cats went through a phase where they were exterminated during the Middle Ages (the descriptions are ghastly)
*Cats, as pets, didn't make a comeback until the late 1700s
*The first national cat pageant occurred at London's Crystal Palace on July 13, 1871. It was wildly popular.
*The first cats in the White House were Tabby and Dixie, belonging to Abraham Lincoln.
*Cats, with their vibrations, enhance their bone density, allowing for self-healing.
*200 feral cats clean things at night at Disneyland (since 1955).
*The stories of cats used by postmasters; used in wartime; and on police beats are not to be missed!
This is a delightful read, no matter where you are on the love-hate spectrum with cats.
Perhaps, if you are a 'cat person' then you know the various breeds of cats. I don't. First, let me admit my aggravation; I sure would have loved to have seen photos of the bunches of felines mentioned. There were a couple, but not the pure-breeds that were mentioned in the later pages. However, I opened a tab and googled the felines mentioned. Fortunately, I found a website that showed the top 60 felines (cats breeds list), and then things were purrrrrfect.
*Cats were around before the invention of the wheel
*Cats seem to have come from Asia and gradually traveled with the upper class to other countries and continents
*The Father of Modern House Cats emerged about 150,000 years ago
*Shockingly, cats went through a phase where they were exterminated during the Middle Ages (the descriptions are ghastly)
*Cats, as pets, didn't make a comeback until the late 1700s
*The first national cat pageant occurred at London's Crystal Palace on July 13, 1871. It was wildly popular.
*The first cats in the White House were Tabby and Dixie, belonging to Abraham Lincoln.
*Cats, with their vibrations, enhance their bone density, allowing for self-healing.
*200 feral cats clean things at night at Disneyland (since 1955).
*The stories of cats used by postmasters; used in wartime; and on police beats are not to be missed!
This is a delightful read, no matter where you are on the love-hate spectrum with cats.
