Cats were first domesticated in the Near East around 7500 BC. It was long
thought that cat domestication was initiated in ancient Egypt, as since
around 3100 BC veneration was given to cats in ancient Egypt. As of 2021
there are an estimated 220 million owned and 480 million stray cats in the
world.
Cats are beloved creatures. Not only were they
worshipped in ancient Egypt, they have been used for millennia to control
rodents. They are low maintenance and affectionate.
Around the world, countries have cat festivals!
There is now a convention in Pasadena, California called "CatCon
Worldwide".