Cats - a brief history

The cats we know today have a long history dating back millions of years. Paleontologists have discovered evidence of a cat with a retractable claw, Miacis, who lived about 50 million years ago. Most scientists believe that the descendants of Miacis and other prehistoric cats divided into three separate groups nearly a million years ago; the big cats (lions and tigers), the cheetahs, and the small cats (ocelots, bobcats and lynxes).

Cats come in many shapes and sizes, but the fur coat found on each feline is a big part of how they are classified; long-haired, short-haired, or "hairless". Long-haired breeds include; Persian, Maine coon, Norwegian Forest Cat and Rag doll. Short-haired breeds include; American Shorthair, Siamese, Burmese and Singapore. While "hairless" cats, such as the Sphinx, merely appear to be hairless, they have a thin layer of hair covering its body.

Cats first started living with people approximately 6,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian farmers domesticated the African wildcats, Felis hybica, a natural hunter, to keep grain storage areas rodent free. Egyptians worshipped Bastet, the cat goddess of fertility, happiness and the moon. Impressed with the cat's natural beauty, Egyptian artists painted and sculpted them, making them cultural icons. Although ancient Egyptians are known for their love of cats, they are not the only people who worshipped them. In Thailand, Siamese cats were sacred temple cats. In Japan, these animals kept Buddhist temples free of mice. In Norwegian mythology, Freya (the goddess of fertility) rode in a chariot pulled by two white cats. Throughout history, sailors and other explorers helped spread cats across the world. Keeping cats abroad their ships was also a good way to rid their living quarters of mice. In time, it was considered lucky to keep cats on board. When cats came to Europe in 900 BC, they crossbred with a native cat found in the British Isles, Felis silvestris. Yet by the middle Ages, cats fell out of favour with most of Europe. The Catholic Church connected cats and those who lived with them with paganism, devil worship, and witchcraft. Superstitious people believed that cats (especially black cats) had diabolical powers.

Today, cats are the UK’s favourite pet with an estimated population of 9.2million. Walk the Dog is proud to support the Cats Protection League Hemel which helps rehome and foster cats. Show your support for Britain’s best loved pet by logging onto http://dacorum.cats.org.uk/

Dogs and cats - can they get along?

A common question we get asked is “Can dogs and cats get along?” There is a common misconception that the two species cannot live happily ever after within a home. While there are some breeds of dogs that do not naturally interact well with other pets most breeds can be taught how to interact calmly with cats and live together in a house.

The way the two species are introduced to each other, their age and the pet’s previous experience with the other species will impact their behaviour. When introducing your dog to your cat it’s vital to create a calm and controlled situation where the two can accept one another and a positive association can be built. Here’s some tips on how to achieve this;

• Get a family member or friend to sit on the sofa with your cat at their side. Gently hold the cat and stroke.
• With your dog out of the room, practice some ‘sits’ or ‘stays’ to get the dog focused onto you. Then bring him into the room on his lead (say nothing, no eye contact with the dog).
• If the dog pulls towards the cat, barks or gets excitable upon seeing the cat, immediately take him out of the room (say nothing and no eye contact – so the dog understands why he is isolated). You may have to repeat this several times depending on his reaction.
• Once the dog has settled, bring him back into the room. If he dog remains quiet and calm, sit him down away from the cat. Pop him into a ‘sit’ and reward with a very tasty treat and praise “good dog”.
• The cat should be stroked or praised for being calm too.
• Let the cat move away if he wants to, but keep hold of the dog’s lead in case he tries to go after the cat. Repeat all of the above until both pets are relaxed in one another’s company. You can build up to the point where the dog is off the lead.