When Did Cats First Appear on Earth? A Journey Through Feline Evolution Cats were extremely important during the 11th century for destroying vermin when the Black Death appeared. However, the worst time for cats was yet to come – this era was called the ‘Middle Ages’ or the ‘Medieval Times’.

Understanding the Context

In the last two decades, it has been established that the Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) is the common ancestor of all domesticated cats, and that they were first domesticated in... According to Killarney Cat Hospital, cats first roamed the earth approximately 10.8 million years ago. From there, roaring cats such as lions, leopards, jaguars, and tigers branched off, about 6.4 million years ago. In fact, evidence suggests that people domesticated cats in the Middle East more than 10,000 years ago, and cats were revered in many of the region’s traditions.

Key Insights

Researchers consider the Middle East the place where people first domesticated cats.