Short-haired cats are believed to have been first domesticated in the Middle East around 12,000 years ago when humans began farming. They were originally used to help deter rodents from stored grain. The ancient Egyptians considered cats sacred and even mummified them along with their owners. Evidence of the close bond between humans and cats can be seen in a 9,000-year-old tomb on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, where a cat was found buried alongside a human, indicating its role as a companion animal.
Domestic cats eventually spread throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa but were not present in the Americas and Australia until they were brought on ships by European explorers. Today, breeders often use domestic short-haired cats in breeding programs to diversify the genetic pool or introduce specific traits to various cat breeds.
