Were there cats in ancient India?

When we think about Cats, at least most of us (Historians, specifically) thinks about how Cats enjoyed a royal-divine status in Ancient Egypt. read more

Yes, there were cats in Ancient India. Chanakya’s Arthashastra has a few references to cats being used to exterminate rats and mice who nest in armouries, granaries and storehouses. The same text also mentions the use of a bag of incendiary mixtures being tied to the tails of cats, monkeys. mongooses and donkeys. read more

Cats In India. Cats are mentioned in the two great literary epics of ancient India, The Mahabharata and The Ramayana (both c. 5th/4th century BCE). read more

The ancient Indians settled in areas near the rivers, or where there was access to water. Western India (now the country of Pakistan) had the Indus River, and eastern India had the Ganges River. The northern area had the Himalaya Mountains. read more

There are more than 500 million domestic cats in the world, with approximately 40 recognized breeds. While it is commonly thought that the ancient Egyptians were the first to domesticate cats, the oldest known pet cat was recently found in a 9,500-year-old grave on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. read more