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How did the beginnings of agriculture lead to a partnership between cats and humans?

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Young boy in a red shirt smiles while hugging a fluffy tabby cat, their faces close together. — cats as pets A boy hugging a pet cat.

The partnership between humans and cats began approximately 10,000 to 15,000 years ago, coinciding with the origins of agriculture in the Middle East. As humans transitioned from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled farming, the storage of grain attracted rodents, which in turn drew wildcats to human settlements.1

This relationship was built on mutual need: humans required effective pest control to protect their food supplies, while cats found a reliable and abundant source of prey. Over time, this functional association evolved into a closer bond. Archaeological evidence, such as a 9,500-year-old burial in Cyprus containing both a human and a cat, suggests that these animals were eventually viewed as companions rather than just tools for pest management. As humans traveled, they transported cats along trade routes, facilitating the species' expansion across the globe.12