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Thu 07 Jul 2009Evidence suggests it was cats who chose humans
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE:THE DOMESTIC cat may be the most popular pet, with more than 600 million in homes worldwide. The cat was a cult animal in ancient Egypt and until recently it was believed it was first domesticated there about 3,600 years ago. However, recent research indicates that domestication of the cat began about 10,000 years ago when agriculture was beginning. The story is told by CA Driscoll, J Clutton Brock, A Kitchener and SJ O’Brien in Scientific American, June 2009.
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