A new study published in American Antiquity revealed insights into the history of domestic cats in the Americas, including the discovery of remains of two house cats in a 466-year-old Spanish shipwreck near Florida, which are likely the earliest known cats in what is now the United States, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Bone remains of at least two felines were found among the wreckage of the Emanuel Point II, a Spanish ship that sank in September 1559 near Pensacola, Florida. These cats were likely carried to hunt rodents and possibly serve as companions to sailors. The Emanuel Point II was one of 11 ships that sailed north from Mexico during an expedition under the command of Tristán de Luna y Arellano, with the goal of founding the colony of Santa María de Ochuse.
A few weeks after arriving, a tropical storm sank six of the eleven ships in the fleet, disrupting Spanish colonization plans in the region. Between 1992 and 2016, researchers discovered three of the expedition's shipwrecks, shedding new light on social relations aboard colonial ships.
The bone remains were identified as belonging to the species Felis catus, which was domesticated in Europe. Stable isotope analysis suggested their diet mainly consisted of animal protein from fish, pork, poultry, and possibly beef. This unexpected diet indicates that, in addition to possible rodents, the cats were fed directly by the crew, sharing their meager 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 noted. The presence of a juvenile cat on the ship indicates the possibility that a pregnant cat boarded in Veracruz. Considering that the journey between Mexico and Florida lasted about eight weeks, it is plausible that the birth occurred during the navigation.
Domestic cats arrived in the Americas roughly 500 years ago with European explorers. The study notes, "The first cats to reach the Americas may have accompanied Columbus, although they are not mentioned in records of these voyages." Among the islands of the Caribbean Sea, where Christopher Columbus first made landfall in 1492 CE, there is evidence that many early Spanish settlements likely had cats.
Cats from England were brought over to Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, in 1607. Some historians suspect that cats were on board the Mayflower when the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. The discovery of the Emanuel Point II contributes to redefining the temporal and geographical map of the introduction of European animals in North America. The arrival of these animals was part of a silent biological expansion, with species of all kinds—from mammals and birds to microbes—transported by empires on their colonial routes. The cats from the Emanuel Point II allow tracing precisely one of those routes, shedding light on their movement during colonization.
Modern research indicates that all domestic cats may be descendants of the animals revered in ancient Egypt. In ancient Egypt, cats were revered as sacred animals and were associated with the goddess Bastet, the protector of the home, female beauty, and fertility.
Recent discoveries are casting doubt on the theory that cats independently approached humans for commensal benefits. These forms of relationship, although marginal in historical documents, are now supported by the material record. In the context of European exploration, cats' independence and their ambiguous role between the useful and the symbolic make them less detectable but not less relevant. The research combines archaeological, genetic, and biochemical studies.
The European origin of the bones is in concordance with the point of departure of the expedition. Genetic testing confirmed the cats aboard the Emanuel Point II had European ancestry. The identified lineage is one of the most frequent among current domestic cats in Europe.
Cat skeletons from medieval sites across Europe often bear cut marks, suggesting they were skinned for their furs or butchered for their meat. Such uses of cats for consumption or fur were common in parts of medieval and early modern Europe, as evidenced by a Spanish cookbook from 1560 that includes a recipe for roasted cat. Fortunately, this does not seem to be the case here. The cats' death seems to have been a direct result of the shipwreck, without subsequent human intervention. The feeding suggests a closer bond between humans and felines than merely functional.
Currently, there are around 73.8 million cats in 42 million American households, according to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation. The discovery of the early domestic cats in the Emanuel Point II shipwreck provides valuable insights into the introduction and integration of domestic cats into North American history, revealing their roles aboard ships during European exploration and colonization efforts.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
