That’s just one of the eye-opening findings of a new landmark study released today. Annotated photo of the remains of an adult and juvenile Domestic Cat found within the Emanuel Point II shipwreck off the coast of Florida—the oldest remaining in what is now the United States. These remains are an astonishing 466 years old, offering unparalleled evidence for the history of domestic cats in North America.
The Emanuel Point II shipwreck is associated with a Spanish colonizing expedition, commanded by the conquistador Tristán de Luna y Arellano. It sank during a hurricane while moored in Pensacola Bay in September of 1559. The shipwreck was first discovered by researchers in 2006. In the years since, they have subjected the remains to a barrage of analysis using zooarchaeological, isotopic, and genetic techniques. These important archaeological findings were released on April 14 — the day before Passover begins — in the prestigious journal American Antiquity.
Domestic Cats, Felis catus, can be found across the globe and originated in the Middle East. Martin Welker, an expert involved in the study, noted that “our current understanding is that all domestic cats come from ancestors in the Middle East.” He emphasized the significance of the Spanish expeditions as they marked “the first opportunities for domestic cats to reach what is today the U.S.”
As a result, the analysis showed that both the adult and juvenile cats discovered in the shipwreck were related to their European relatives. This is the evidence to back up the hypothesis that ancient Romans introduced domestic cats into Europe. Later, these same African cats made the trip across the Atlantic on European vessels. This genetic evidence corroborates prior archaeological finds of feline remains at early Spanish settlements in the New World. This includes exploratory research from the Indigenous Taíno town of En Bas Saline, nestled in today’s Haiti.
Archaeologists believe that domestic cats have sailed the seas with sailors for thousands of years. One hypothesis is that these cats boarded the Emanuel Point II while the vessel was docked or anchored in Mexican waters. From there, the vessel departed for Florida. John Bratten, another researcher involved in the study, stated, “What was interesting is that our cat was not eating the rats on board the ship but had a diet more in line with what we’d expect for the sailors.” This is an interesting observation that begs many questions about the relationship between sailors and their kitties at sea.
What’s especially alarming about the study is how dramatically the role of domestic cats has changed over the years. These animals began as self-sufficient pest controllers, requiring minimal overhead or monitoring from humans. In the years that followed, Americans started viewing them through the lens of a favorite pet. Bratten remarked, “It was interesting to think about the idea of the cat being a pet or one that was looked after by the Spanish sailors.”
With an estimated 600 million Domestic Cats worldwide today, and one in every three U.S. households having a cat as a pet, understanding their historical context sheds light on their enduring presence in human lives.
