Name ______________________________ Core _________ Date ________________________
Where Do House Cats Come From?
group that is "indistinguishable from ones in the Middle
East."
The study traced the cats' ancestry to five types of
wild cats that lived 100,000 years ago. These five types
of cats interbred. This resulted in a new species: Felis
silvestris lybica. This species is the apparent ancestor of
the modern house cat. The interbreeding is believed to
have taken place between 130,000 and 160,000 years
ago. At this point, said O'Brien, a cat version of "Adam
and Eve" originated the species that would yield the
house cat.
But how did the wild lybica become
WASHINGTON, D.C. Scientists have
domesticated? According to O'Brien, the domestication
discovered something new about the house cat, one of
of cats began around 10,000 years ago. The earliest
the world's oldest pets. The loving, graceful, and finicky
archaeological evidence of cats and humans in
ruler of millions of homes around the world is actually
association dates to 9,500 years ago on the island of
descended from the lybica, a Middle Eastern wildcat.
Cyprus. "We also have evidence of cat domestication by
Through DNA research, scientists have traced the house
the Egyptians because of their . . . artwork," said Joan
cat to five ancestors that lived more than 100,000 years
Miller of the Cat Fanciers' Association. Scientists have
ago in the Middle East.
determined that thousands of years ago, wild cats began
The recent cat-origin study was conducted by an
hunting the rodents that plagued farms on which grains
international team of researchers. The team included
and cereals were grown. As a result, cats and humans
Carlos Driscoll of Oxford University and the National
developed a relationship.
Cancer Institute. Researchers collected information on
mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondrial DNA is the
substance that carries genetic information. Driscoll and
"Domestication, for sure, took place in the
Middle East where those cats live today," said O'Brien.
For O'Brien, the domestication of cats resulted
the team tested the DNA of 979 domestic and wild cats
from what he calls "an amazing experiment." He finds it
from Europe, Asia, and Africa. They found that the DNA
remarkable that an animal known for its ferocious and
of some wild cats matched that of domestic cats in many
deadly nature was able to be domesticated.
parts of the Middle East. The discovery led the
Some are fascinated by a secondary finding of
researchers to conclude that those Middle Eastern cats
the cat-origin research. While gathering DNA from
are related to the modern house cat.
European, Asian, and African cats, researchers found
Researcher Stephen J. O'Brien said that house
cats, which include fancy breeds and feral cats, form a
that some cats in the Middle East did not share the same
DNA as the lybica. These cats were distinct from the
species that yielded the house cat. "I would like to know
for some human genetic diseases. The cat research is
more about these cats," said Joan Miller.
also expected to assist in wildcat conservation efforts.
According to Carlos Driscoll, the study of cats is
serious business for genetic researchers. Cats are a model
Dictionary
disease (noun)
DNA (noun)
a sickness
something in our bodies that tells us where we came from
domesticate (verb)
to get an animal used to living around people
genetic (adjective)
having to do with genes; genes are tiny parts of all living things that decide what we look
like, along with other things about us
scientist (noun)
a person who studies people and things
domesticated (adjective)
interbreed (verb)
originate (verb)
tamed; used to living around people
to produce young from mates of different breeds or species
to bring something into being
Multiple Choice: Circle the letter of the choice the best completes the statement. (2 points each)
1. What is the cause and effect relationship that takes place in
5. Which of these is most important to include in a summary of
the article?
this article?
A. The comparison of Egyptian artwork to the modern
house cat caused researchers to conclude that cats were
used to rid farms of rodents.
B. The comparison of the DNA of domestic and wild cats
in the Middle East caused researchers to conclude that
those cats are related.
C. The comparison of the DNA of cats to that of humans
caused researchers to conclude that cats were first
domesticated in Cyprus.
D. The comparison of Egyptian artwork to that of the
Middle East caused researchers to conclude that cats
can serve as a genetic model for some diseases.
2. Based on the article, the reader can predict that __________.
A. Genetic researchers will study cats to learn more about
human genetic diseases.
B. Genetic researchers will study humans in order to learn
about cat diseases.
C. In the end, the cat research will prove useless to
wildcat conservation efforts.
D. In the end, the cat research will prove useless to
genetic researchers.
3. Which is the closest antonym for the word domesticated?
A. The study of cats is expected to help in the effort to
protect wildcats.
B. The study traced the ancestry of the house cat to five
types of wild cats.
C. The study was conducted by an international team of
researchers.
D. The study of cats is serious business for genetic
researchers.
6. According to the article, which happened after scientists
tested the DNA?
A. Scientists began to collect the DNA of domestic and
wild cats.
B. Scientists began to link the house cat to five types of
wild cats.
C. Cats began hunting mice on farms.
D. Cats and humans began to live together.
7. Which question is not answered by the article?
A. Why is cat research important to genetic researchers?
B. Why did cats start living with humans?
C. How many cats were tested in the study?
D. How will cat research assist in wildcat conservation?
8. The article states: He finds it remarkable that an animal
A. Fickle
known for its ferocious and deadly nature was able to be
B. Flimsy
domesticated. Which would be the closest synonym for the
C. Feral
word ferocious?
D. Frisky
4. What is this article mainly about?
A. A study showing similarities between a human and a
cat
B. How the modern house cat became domesticated
C. How scientists research the DNA of domestic cats
D. A study tracing the house cat to Middle Eastern
ancestors
A. Vulgar
B. Vaudevillian
C. Valiant
D. Violent
Opinion Question: What is the most important goal in studying DNA?

We learn about the origins of house cats.

We can better understand genetic diseases.

We can better protect wild cats.
Thought Question: Look back at today's article. Describe the events, in the correct order, that led to the
domestication of cats. Then explain why the new research is important. Use ideas from the article in your response.
Math- Scientists are studying the DNA of five groups of cats, both wild and domesticated. Each group has a
different number of cats, and the numbers in the respective groups form a sequence of five consecutive integers. If
2,500 cats are involved in the study, how many cats are in the largest group?