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IST 605: The History of House Cats

This guide provides an accessible, curated collection of resources that explore the history, domestication, cultural significance, and evolution of house cats.

Search Strategies 🔎

Researching the history of house cats involves using a mix of keywords, Boolean operators, and strategic search strategies. The strategies below will help you find quality, relevant, and scholarly information across library databases, catalogs, and online research tools.

Search Strategies Guide

Recommended Keywords

🗝️ cat domestication

🗝️ domestic cats history

🗝️ Felis catus origins

🗝️ wildcat ancestry

🗝️ Near Eastern wildcat

🗝️ Fertile Crescent animals

🗝️ ancient Egypt cats

🗝️ Neolithic animals

🗝️ human-animal relationships

🗝️ animal domestication archaeology

Basic Search Strategies

 Phrase Searching

Use quotation marks to search for exact phrases:

  • “cat domestication”

  • “Near Eastern wildcat”

  • “ancient Egypt cats”

Use Filters

Most databases let you filter for:

  • Peer-reviewed articles

  • Date range (e.g., last 20 years for updated science)

  • Subject area (anthropology, archaeology, biology)

Use Subject Headings

Databases often assign official subject terms. 

Useful ones include:

  • Cats-History

  • Felis catus

  • Animal domestication

  • Archaeozoology

  • Human-animal relationships

Search by Author 

Some researchers publish frequently on cat domestication:

  • Carlos Driscoll

  • Jean-Denis Vigne

  • Eva-Maria Geigl

  • John Bradshaw

Boolean Search Strategies

 Use AND to Narrow Your Search

  • cats AND domestication

  • “Felis catus” AND origins

  • wildcat AND “Near East” AND archaeology

 

Use OR to Broaden Your Search 

  • “domestic cat” OR “house cat” OR “Felis catus”

  • “wildcat” OR “Felis silvestris lybica”

  • domestication OR “self-domestication”

Use NOT to Exclude Irrelevant Topics

  • cats NOT “big cats”

  • domestication NOT dogs

  • “cat history” NOT breeds

Combine AND + OR with Parentheses

  • (“cat” OR “Felis catus”) AND (domestication OR origins)

  • (wildcat OR “Felis silvestris lybica”) AND “Near East”

Combine Boolean Operators with Geographic Terms

  • “cat domestication” AND (“Near East” OR Levant OR Cyprus)

  • “Felis catus” AND (“Fertile Crescent” OR Anatolia)

Combine Boolean Operators with Time Periods

Helpful for historical contexts.

  • cats AND “ancient world”

  • “Felis silvestris” AND Neolithic

  • domestication AND “Bronze Age”

Database Examples

🔗Academic Search Complete

Try:

  • “cat domestication” AND history

  • (wildcat OR “Felis silvestris”) AND origins

Apply filters:

  • Peer-reviewed

  • Full text

  • Last 20–25 years

🔗JSTOR

Try:

  • “domestic cat” AND archaeology

  • “Near Eastern wildcat” AND domestication

Limit by:

  • Anthropology

  • Archaeology

  • History

🔗ScienceDirect

Try:

  • Felis silvestris lybica AND genetic

  • cat domestication AND evolution

Filter by:

  • Review articles

  • Research articles

🔗Google Scholar

Try:

  • “cat domestication” AND “Near East”

  • “ancient Egypt” AND cats
    intitle:“Felis catus” AND origins

Use tools:

  • Cited by

  • Related articles