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On the occasion of the cat festival, we decided to tell you about the African wild cat, the one who later gave rise to the modern cat and which still populates Africa, the Middle East and Sardinia today.
The father of cats
The origins of Felis Silvestris Lybica are lost in the dawn of time. It seems that in fact it separated from other cat species 131,000 years ago, 10,000 years ago from these were born the domestic cats we know today, descendants of this sacred feline.
Remains of the Felis S.L. have been found in tombs in Cyprus dating back to 9500 years ago, from these then originates in particular the Abyssinian, a type of cat later made famous by Egyptian mythology. In fact, the figure of the goddess Bastet derives from that race, protector of home, fertility, births, women and, indeed, of cats. Another famous breed, probable relative of the Felis, is that of the Turkish Angora.
A wild breed
The Silvestris attribute (in Latin “wild”) is not accidental, in fact this species has never been domesticated and since then has populated Africa and the Middle East, being replaced only by the sand cat in the driest areas.
Precisely because of its “being wild”, it is not a particularly protected species and only the Alley Cat Rescue takes care of its genetic protection. However, it is interesting to note how the love for this species is still developed, with various gifts from post offices and local governments. Another interesting curiosity is that the closest relative to Felis Silvestris Lybica is the Sardinian cat, called “felis silvestris lybica sarda” and which lives only on the Italian island.
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