Archaeologists just uncovered a fascinating piece of American history that changes what we know about our feline friends.
But the truth about when cats first arrived on American shores has historians stunned.
And scientists made a jaw-dropping discovery about America’s first cats that history buffs will absolutely love.
Earliest domestic cat remains in America discovered in 466-year-old Spanish shipwreck
A groundbreaking new study published in American Antiquity has revealed what are likely the earliest known domestic cats in what is now the United States.
Researchers discovered the bone remains of at least two house cats among the wreckage of the Emanuel Point II, a Spanish ship that sank near Pensacola, Florida, in September 1559.
The ship was part of a fleet of 11 vessels that sailed north from Mexico during an expedition under the command of Tristán de Luna y Arellano, with the mission of founding the colony of Santa MarÃa de Ochuse.
Just weeks after reaching Florida, disaster struck when a tropical storm sank six of the eleven ships, disrupting Spanish colonization plans in the region.
“The first cats to reach the Americas may have accompanied Columbus, although they are not mentioned in records of these voyages,” the researchers noted in their study.
These weren’t just working cats – they were shipmates
What makes this discovery particularly fascinating is what it reveals about the relationship between the cats and their human crewmates.
Scientific analysis of the cat remains showed their diet mainly consisted of animal protein from fish, pork, poultry, and beef – the same food being consumed by the sailors.
This unexpected discovery suggests that rather than just being aboard to hunt rodents, these cats were being directly fed by the crew, sharing in their limited food supplies.
“There are no indications that the cats were consumed as food or used for their skin, as occurred in other historical contexts,” the researchers stated.
The presence of a juvenile cat on the ship indicates a pregnant cat likely boarded in Veracruz, Mexico, with the kitten born during the approximately eight-week journey to Florida.
Cats as colonial companions
While domestic cats are now one of America’s most beloved pets, they arrived on the continent relatively recently – approximately 500 years ago with European explorers.
The discovery of these cat remains helps redefine our understanding of how European animals were introduced to North America during colonial expansion.
After this earliest known appearance, cats continued arriving with other settlers.Â
Historical records indicate cats from England were brought to Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, in 1607.
Some historians also believe cats were aboard the Mayflower when the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620.
Genetic testing confirmed the shipwreck cats had European ancestry, with their identified lineage being one of the most common among current European domestic cats.
Unlike in some parts of medieval Europe, where cats were sometimes skinned for fur or eaten (a Spanish cookbook from 1560 even includes a recipe for roasted cat), these unfortunate felines appear to have simply died in the shipwreck without being butchered.
The Emanuel Point II shipwreck discovery provides a fascinating glimpse into early colonial maritime life and the long-standing relationship between cats and humans during exploration of the New World.
From these humble beginnings with two shipwrecked cats, felines have become one of America’s favorite pets, with approximately 73.8 million cats now living in 42 million American households, according to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation.
