This post doesn’t conform to the blog’s normal fare but, as a felin-o-phile (if that’s a word), I couldn’t resist.
New York Times science writer Nicholas Wade writes (in TierneyLab) of a study on the origin of domestic cats in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences:
All the other species, in the authors’ view, were bred by people for their desired qualities. Cats, being without utility, were not. Instead, they domesticated themselves and chose their own mates without human interference.
It all came about, the researchers concede, because of wild cats’ powers of observation. They had the wits to notice that the first human settlements were full of uncleared garbage strewn about by their slovenly inhabitants and so were overrun with rats, mice and sparrows.
I knew my cats were in control of my life but it’s nice to have a scientific study to back that claim up
As to the “no utility” claim, my cats keep me amused, help relieve stress, keep away rodents and redecorate the sides of my sofa.
The word you’re looking for is “ailurophile”.
And apart from the things you mentioned, cats help moderate dreams and calm humans down in general. But just being allowed to live with them is reward enough.
[...] How Cats Domesticated Us…. « The Mountain Humanist [...]
Nice article!
you might enjoy http://www.simonscat.com . Check out the films section. (this is not my website – I’m not trying to promote anything – just a fellow cat lover and Buddhist-ish!)
not quite so scientific but a good laugh nonetheless..