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Cats trace their origins to the African wildcat (Felis lybica), a solitary, small predator domesticated around 9,000–10,000 years ago in the Near East. This process began as humans settled into farming communities during the Neolithic period. Wildcats were drawn to rodents thriving near grain stores, and humans likely tolerated or encouraged their presence for pest control. Over time, a mutual relationship formed, leading to domestication, though cats remained less dependent on humans than dogs.
Early cat diets mirrored their wild roots—strictly carnivorous, consisting of small prey like rodents, birds, and insects. Unlike dogs, cats didn’t adapt to digest starches well, retaining their need for meat-heavy nutrition. In ancient Egypt (around 2000 BCE), where cats were revered and often mummified, they were fed fish, meat scraps, and milk by humans. Greek and Roman records show cats eating meat and hunting alongside human settlements.
Through the Middle Ages in Europe, cats lived on scraps and prey, valued for controlling vermin in homes and monasteries. The Industrial Revolution brought commercial cat food in the late 19th century—canned meat products emerged by the 1930s, followed by dry kibble in the mid-20th century. Modern cat diets include wet food, dry food, and raw options, all formulated to meet their obligate carnivore needs with high protein and fat, reflecting their predatory ancestry despite thousands of years beside humans.

FELINE DIET:The feline diet is rooted in the strictly carnivorous nature of cats, descending from the African wildcat (Felis lybica). Unlike dogs, cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they require meat to survive and lack the ability to efficiently digest plant matter. Their wild ancestors, domesticated around 9,000–10,000 years ago in the Near East, ate small prey like rodents, birds, reptiles, and insects—high in protein and fat, with minimal carbohydrates. This dietary need persists in domestic cats, driven by their physiology: they rely on taurine, arginine, and other nutrients found only in animal tissue.
In early human settlements, cats hunted alongside people, supplementing their diet with scraps like fish or meat. In ancient Egypt (circa 2000 BCE), revered cats were fed fish, meat, and milk. In Greece, Rome, and medieval Europe, they ate meat scraps and continued hunting vermin, aligning with their predatory instincts. Unlike dogs, cats didn’t adapt to starches, maintaining a meat-centric diet through history.
The Industrial Revolution brought commercial cat food: canned meat products appeared by the 1930s, followed by dry kibble in the 1950s. Modern feline diets include wet food (often meat or fish-based), dry kibble (formulated with high protein), and raw diets mimicking prey (meat, organs, bones). These cater to their need for 50–60% protein and 30–40% fat, with carbs kept low. From ancient hunters to today’s pets, cats’ diets reflect their unchanging carnivorous core, minimally altered by domestication.

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Felis lybica, the African wildcat, is the ancestor of domestic cats, originating from a Middle Eastern population within the Felis sylvestris species. A small, solitary, nocturnal hunter, it thrives in arid regions of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, eating a carnivorous diet of rodents, birds, and insects. Domestication began around 9,000–10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent as these cats controlled pests near human farms, forming a loose bond with people. Genetically and behaviorally, Felis lybica is nearly identical to modern house cats, with whom it can still interbreed, showing minimal change over millennia. Its independent nature and meat-focused diet remain hallmarks of domestic cats today, despite threats like habitat loss and hybridization in the wild.