Whether the cat originated in Egypt or the middle east, eventually, cats would arrive in the New World aboard sailing ships, where once again they served man as mousers and ratters, protecting the sailors' food supplies on the long voyage.
Although popular breed lore suggests the American Shorthair's ancestors may have arrived on the Mayflower, no one knows for sure exactly when cats first came to the New World. But they most certainly had arrived by the 1600s, and after their seafaring duties were done, they were released into the fields to continue controlling pests in and around the farms and barns of new settlements.
With few exceptions, many years would pass before cats came to be regarded as house pets or companion animals. Although dogs were kept as pets during the medieval years, cats were viewed primarily as working animals, valued for their ability to protect grain and food storage from rats and other rodents. Unfortunately, that mindset still exists in many parts of the United States, where barn cats are kept for rodent control and allowed to breed freely.
The Cat Emerges as a Prized Pet
The mid-1800s ushered in an increased regard for cats as prized pets in England and Western Europe. Travelers to exotic countries brought back cats, many of whom were subsequently named for their place of origin. The Persian cat, for example, came from Persia (Iran today) and was highly favored for its long, silky fur. Inevitably, cat clubs began to form so that cat owners could flaunt their felines at organized events. Only in the latter part of the 20th century did devotees begin to describe their cats as family members. (Today in the United States, the cat surpasses the dog in popularity as a household companion.)The Birth of the Cat Fancy
In 1871, the first cat show was held at the Crystal Palace in London, England. Not surprisingly, the winner was a Persian cat. Harrison Weir organized the show and is also credited with starting the first feline stud book, which tracks the breeding and registration of cats. Thus was born the "cat fancy," the collective term applied to people who breed and show pedigreed cats as a serious hobby or profession. Across the Atlantic in the United States, the first official cat show took place in 1895 at Madison Square Gardens in New York, and the highly popular Maine Coon cat held prominence. Weir led Great Britain's first national cat club, and in 1899, the American Cat Association was established, the first and oldest cat registry in the United States.The Cat Today as a Family Member
In the early half of the 20th century, while cat fanciers pampered their fancy purebreds, the common random-bred cat was still primarily viewed as an outside animal with a job to do, catching mice. But as farms gave way to suburbs, more people took their barn cats into their homes. As the cities and suburbs grew, so did the number of cats living as indoor-outdoor pets, or as strictly indoor pets.Cats began to outnumber dogs as the most popular household pet, partly because they are easier to keep in apartments and townhouses. With this closer living arrangement, more people began to see their household cats as sentient beings and family members.
Although purebred cats are still popular, many cat lovers have found that a mixed breed, moggie, or house cat makes a wonderful pet. They are intelligent, affectionate, loyal companions capable of giving incomparable love and affection. It is no wonder that the feline human bond is so powerful it lasts beyond death.
