Tag Archive for 'African wildcat'

The genomes of ancient cats from archaeological sites across Europe and Anatolia (circles in the map) revealed that domestic cats were introduced to Europe from North Africa starting at 2,000 years ago, several millennia after the onset of the Neolithic in Europe; African wildcats in Sardinia originate from a distinct wildcat population in Northwest Africa. Image credit: De Martino et al., doi: 10.1126/science.adt2642.

Domestic Cats Were Introduced to Europe around 2,000 Years Ago, Probably from North Africa: Study

Nov 28, 2025 by News Staff

The domestic cat (Felis catus) descends from the African wildcat (Felis lybica lybica). Its global distribution alongside humans testifies to its successful...

The European wildcat (Felis silvestris). Image credit: Michael Gäbler / CC BY 3.0 Deed.

European Wildcats and Domestic Cats Did Not Mix Until 1960s, New Research Shows

Nov 7, 2023 by Natali Anderson

In two related studies, researchers from the University of Oxford and elsewhere sequenced the genomes of wildcats and domestic cats, including 48 modern...

The African wildcat (Felis lybica) by John Anderson in Zoology of Egypt.

How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa

Aug 21, 2023 by The Conversation

The African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) is the ancestor of our beloved household pets. And despite changing very little, their descendants have become...