The first appearance of domestic cats in Ancient Egypt was painted around 1950 BCE. Throughout the centuries that followed, cats became a permanent fixture in Egyptian art. Some were even deified, and therefore, mummified. Historians determined that it was the ancient Egyptians who domesticated the cat, but in 2004, everything changed.
In Cyprus, researchers uncovered a 9,500-year-old cat that was buried with its human—thousands of years before Egypt existed.
Want to learn more about the fascinating history of the domestic cat? Then click through the gallery.