House Pets

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c. 8,000 BC

Unlike dogs, cats were not particularly useful as domesticated animals for early nomadic tribes, due to their territorial nature. Compared to dogs, they were relatively ineffectual animals, as they were unable to bring down large prey or chase off intruders. Once humans settled down and started farming, however, they turned to domesticated cats to protect their precious stores of grain from rodents. Cats became the first house pets in the Middle East and North Africa.