When considering the Roman legacy in Britain, we typically think of straight roads, aqueducts, and public baths. However, groundbreaking scientific research now reveals we have the Roman invasion to thank for another, more furry innovation: the domestic cat.
The Feline Migration Timeline
A comprehensive new study analysing ancient feline DNA has fundamentally rewritten the history of cat domestication. Scientists examined remains from 97 archaeological sites across Europe and the Near East, dating back an astonishing 10,000 years.
The research, published in Cell Genomics and Science, demonstrates that cats only became true human companions around 3,500 years ago. More surprisingly, it took another 1,500 years before the first domestic cats reached European shores, including Britain, approximately 2,000 years ago – coinciding perfectly with the Roman occupation.
Lead author Dr Claudio Ottoni, a palaeontologist from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, told the Daily Mail: '2,000 years is a relatively short time in evolutionary terms. It is striking that in such a short time, cats were able to "conquer the world".'
From African Wildcat to Roman Shipmate
Contrary to previous theories suggesting domestication occurred 10,000 years ago in the prehistoric Levant, this new genetic evidence points to North Africa as the true cradle of the domestic cat.
All modern house cats descend from the African wildcat, which gradually adapted to live alongside humans. Researchers identified 77 distinct cat genomes that mapped the species' journey through history.
In Pharaonic Egypt, cats quickly became valued companions, praised for controlling rats and venomous snakes. They became deeply embedded in spiritual life, though they were never formally worshipped.
The study identified two key waves of feline migration to Europe. The first occurred around 2,200 years ago, when African wildcats arrived in Sardinia. The second, more significant wave came with Roman traders around 2,000 years ago.
Romans likely adopted cats as natural pest control on their grain ships and trading vessels. As Dr Ottoni explains: 'Cats were probably following the Roman army and its entourage of people moving along with them. Cats were companions, but they were also useful to keep rodents and pests away from food, and for example, also leather materials.'
Global Feline Journeys and Modern Implications
When Emperor Hadrian's legions landed on British shores in 43 AD, they brought their feline companions with them, introducing the first domestic cats to the British Isles.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, different wildcat species filled the ecological niche. In China, people lived alongside leopard cats for approximately 3,500 years before domestic cats arrived around 700 AD via Silk Road traders.
These imported cats were often white – considered a sacred colour – which explains why white cats remain more prevalent in East Asia today than elsewhere.
This research not only rewrites our understanding of feline history but demonstrates how human movement and trade patterns have shaped the animal companions we know today. The domestic cat's journey from North African settlements to British hearths represents one of the Romans' most enduring, though previously unrecognised, contributions to British life.
