Peking University, December 5, 2025: A research team led by Professor Luo Shujin from the School of Life Sciences has uncovered a surprising chapter in the history of cats in China. Through ancient DNA sequencing of feline remains spanning over 5,000 years, the team discovered that the animals living alongside early Chinese farming communities were not domestic cats, but the native leopard cat. Domestic cats arrived much later, during the Tang dynasty, likely brought along Eurasian trade routes connected to the Silk Road. The findings, published in Cell Genomics, clarify a long-debated question about when and how domestic cats first appeared in China.
Background
Domestic cats descend from Near Eastern African wildcats (Felis lybica), but the timing of their arrival in China has remained unclear. Small cat bones found in Neolithic and later sites were long assumed to be early domestic cats. The new study analyzed mitochondrial and nuclear DNA from 22 ancient feline individuals excavated at 14 archaeological sites, covering the period from the Yangshao culture (~5,400 years ago) to the 20th century.
Why it matters
The study reshapes our understanding of human–animal relations in East Asia. It reveals that for over 3,500 years, the cats living near early farming communities were not domesticated but wild leopard cats that thrived around human settlements while hunting rodents. The findings also underscore how global exchange networks, particularly the Silk Road, played a role not only in transporting goods and ideas but also in spreading animal species. The arrival of domestic cats in the Tang dynasty reflects broader cultural and biological exchanges across Eurasia.
Key Findings
Genetic evidence shows that before ~AD 220, all feline remains near human sites belonged to leopard cats, not domestic cats. They lived around settlements from the Late Neolithic until the end of the Eastern Han, taking advantage of abundant prey around agricultural areas. Domestic cats appeared only in the Tang dynasty. The earliest confirmed domestic cat remains, dated to AD 706–883 from the Tongwan City site in Shaanxi, show maternal lineages linked to Near Eastern African wildcats. Genome reconstruction suggests this Tang-era cat had short fur and likely white or white-spotted coloration. Identical genetic signatures in contemporaneous cats from Kazakhstan confirm that domestic cats have spread into China via Silk Road trade routes.
Future Implications
The study provides the first detailed genetic timeline of cats in China, showing how domestic species spread and integrated into human societies. It highlights the Silk Road’s role in transporting animals and offers insights into the long-term interaction between humans and wildlife.
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Read more: DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2025.101099
Written by: Akaash Babar
Edited by: Chen Shizhuo
Source: PKU News (Chinese)