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What evidence shows that cats were companions to people in Cyprus about 9,500 years ago?

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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.

Evidence for the early companionship between humans and cats in Cyprus comes from an archaeological discovery of a grave dating to approximately 9,500 years ago.1

This burial site contained the remains of both a human and a cat. Because cats are not native to Cyprus, their presence on the island indicates they were intentionally transported there by boat. This deliberate transport, combined with the context of the burial, suggests that cats were already viewed as companions to people at that time.1