Yes, cats likely played a significant role in helping humans transition to farming by controlling rodent populations that threatened stored grain. This mutualistic relationship, where both humans and cats benefited, contributed to the domestication of cats and their close association with human settlements.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Domestication through mutual benefit:
As humans transitioned to agriculture and began storing grain, they inadvertently created a food source for rodents like mice and rats.
Cats as pest control:
Wild cats, attracted by the abundance of rodents, started frequenting these areas, providing a natural pest control service by hunting and consuming the vermin.
Humans and cats benefit:
Humans benefited from the cats' pest control, as it reduced grain loss and the spread of diseases carried by rodents. Cats, in turn, gained access to a reliable food source and shelter, leading to a mutually beneficial relationship that fostered domestication, according to some scientific publications.
Evidence from archaeological sites:
Archaeological evidence, such as the discovery of cat bones alongside rodent burrows in grain storage pits, supports the idea that cats were living alongside humans and their grain stores.
Global spread with humans:
The relationship between cats and humans continued to evolve, with cats becoming valued companions and traveling with humans as they expanded their settlements and trade routes, according to some historical accounts.