Ancient DNA Unravels Cat Domestication Like Ball of Yarn

A new study fills gaps in the when and where of cat domestication, explaining how the animals went from lean hunters to, uh, this. (Credit G. Tarlach...yes, it's my cat, but don't kvetch about his obesity. I took the photo shortly after I adopted him. Thanks to careful management he is now several pounds lighter.) The truth about cats and dogs is this: despite being the two species that humans are most likely to have as pets, Rex and Ruffles had very different paths from the wild to our couches. Analyzing ancient and modern cat DNA, researchers believe they have figured out much of the mystery surrounding cat domestication — and no, it didn't start in ancient Egypt.