New research suggests that domesticated cats may have arrived in Western Europe later than previously believed. Evidence indicates that cats began their relationship with humans around 10,000 years ago, particularly in ancient Egypt, where a human was found buried with a cat in Cyprus, according to Claudio Ottoni, a paleogeneticist and associate professor at the University of Roma Tor Vergata.

Earlier studies proposed that cats came to Europe during the Neolithic expansion of Near East farmers approximately 6,000 years ago. However, the latest analysis indicates that domesticated cats likely followed Roman soldiers into Europe much later. This finding is detailed in a paper published in the journal Science.

Researchers conducted DNA sequencing on archaeological samples of ancient cats from Europe and Anatolia, allowing them to reconstruct entire genomes for comparison with modern cats. Marco di Martino, a postdoctoral candidate at the University of Roma Tor Vergata and lead author of the study, explained that by examining DNA mutations, they could better understand the species' evolution and the geographical factors involved.

The study revealed that remains previously thought to be domesticated cats were actually European wildcats, which evolved from African wildcats. This discovery significantly alters the timeline for when domesticated cats are believed to have arrived in Europe. "We couldn't find any domestic cats, even in other parts of the European continent, until 2,000 years ago," Ottoni stated. "So this is a big change in the story."

The earliest genomes of domesticated cats were found at various sites across the Roman Empire, including locations in Italy, Serbia, Austria, and Roman Imperial sites in England. This led researchers to conclude that cats spread rapidly across Europe.

Ottoni noted that historical analysis of cats is limited compared to that of dogs or livestock. This is partly because cats were not widely used as a food source and their remains are often difficult to identify due to their small size. "Compared to other domestic species, cats are quite overlooked," he said.

In contrast, dogs began their relationship with humans during the Paleolithic era, over 15,000 years ago. This long history may explain why dogs are often seen as more reliant and attached to humans, earning them the title of "man's best friend." Ottoni pointed out that dogs were bred for various functions, such as hunting and protection, resulting in a wide range of breeds and sizes. In comparison, cats show much less variation in size.

The new findings support the idea that the domestication of cats was a lengthy and complex process, occurring much more recently than that of dogs, according to Ottoni.