Check out how cats became our favorite little murder machines. Buy the CAT CAT T-shirt here: https://store.dftba.com/products/cat-cat-shirt To learn how dogs and humans got together, watch the companion video over at It's OK To Be Smart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tggdERc8E6Y - be sure to subscribe while you're there! Thanks also to our supporters on https://www.patreon.com/MinuteEarth ___________________________________________ If you want to learn more about this topic, here are some keywords to get your googling started: Puma: The big cat with the largest home range. Felix silvestris: The wildcat that is the direct ancestor to all modern house cats. Bastet: Egyptian cat goddess. Pseudaelurus: A prehistoric cat that is the common ancestor to all modern felines. ___________________________________________ Credits (and Twitter handles): Script Writer: Sarah Keartes Script Editor: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida) Video Illustrator: Qingyang Chen (@QCvisual) Video Director: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida) Video Narrator: Joe Hanson (@DrJoeHanson) With Contributions From: Ever Salazar, Henry Reich, Alex Reich, Peter Reich, David Goldenberg Music by: Nathaniel Schroeder: http://www.soundcloud.com/drschroeder _________________________________________ Like our videos? Subscribe to MinuteEarth on YouTube: http://goo.gl/EpIDGd Support us on Patreon: https://goo.gl/ZVgLQZ Also, say hello on: Facebook: http://goo.gl/FpAvo6 Twitter: http://goo.gl/Y1aWVC And find us on itunes: https://goo.gl/sfwS6n ___________________________________________ References: Hu, Yaowu, et al. ""Earliest evidence for commensal processes of cat domestication."" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111.1 (2014): 116-120." Montague, Michael J., et al. ""Comparative analysis of the domestic cat genome reveals genetic signatures underlying feline biology and domestication."" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111.48 (2014): 17230-17235. O’Brien, Stephen J., and Warren E. Johnson. The evolution of cats. Scientific American 297.1 (2007): 68-75. "The Lion in the Living Room"" - Abigail Tucker http://amzn.to/2ppLNxz (Public library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/956395842) Vigne, Jean-Denis, et al. Earliest “Domestic” Cats in China Identified as Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). PloS one 11.1 (2016): e0147295. Human-cat burial image provided courtesy of Pr . Jean Guilaine excavations