Changes

In the Medieval period, cats were sometimes associated with witches, leading them to be killed in Europe at times. Even by the early Renaissance, town festivals were sometimes opened by the symbolic burning of cats to demonstrate the cleansing of the town from witches. Other societies, such as in Japan, has generally had a more long-term positive association with cats. For instance, cats have long been associated with good luck, where even today it is popular to buy gifts of cats with a raised paw (a symbol of good luck). Similarly, in Russia, having a cat in the house was considered good luck.<ref>For more on cats and witches, see: Walker-Meikle, K. (2011) <i>Medieval cats.</i> London, British Library.</ref>

Perhaps not surprisingly, the oldest known breeds of cats are from the Middle East, where they were first domesticated or at least lived along with humans. The history of cat breeds is not clear, but it is likely that it was only after the late Medieval period and Renaissance that people began to have a taste to breed new cat varieties. The Turkish Angora and Persian cat are among the oldest known, where they are documented by the 1600s. The Chartreux might be the oldest European breed, where it is mentioned to exist by at least 1558. The likely origin in Europe for this cat suggests by then Europeans were developing their own breeding tastes. Other breeds that originated from the Middle East and Asia, such as the Japanese Bobtail, Siamese, and Siberian Cat, suggests that Asian societies were likely specifically breeding certain types of cats for either domestic use such as hunting rodents, kept as household pets, or used as both. Nevertheless, the variety of breeds that originate from Africa, Asia, and Europe suggest breeding of cat varieties may have taken places since much more ancient periods.<ref>For more on the history of cat breeds, see: Kim Bryan & DK Publishing, Inc (eds.) (2013) <i>The complete cat breed book.</i> 1st American ed. New York, DK Publishing.</ref>

In 1598, the world's first cat show was held in Winchester, England. By the 1600s, throughout western Europe, cats became increasingly common in wealthy households. In the 17th and 18th centuries, paintings became more common showing human and cat interactions. By then, cats were no longer associated with witches, although our own culture still has preserved this perspective through the depiction of witches and cats often together in Halloween or other events. Middle class popularity of cats likely originated in the 19th century, when popular shows such as the Crystal Palace exhibition in London in 1871 helped to inspire more typical households to have cats as pets. The Crystal Palace exhibition, in fact, gave rise to what became cat show contests. <ref>For more on the history of cat shows, see: Choron, S., Choron, H. & Moore, A. (2007) <i>Planet cat: a cat-alog.</i> Boston, Houghton Mifflin Company, pg. 54.</ref>

One prominent organization, the Cat Fanciers Association(CFA), developed in the United States by 1906. This organization has become the best known for developing a cat breed register and promoting new types of breeds that have developed in the United States and other countries. Such organizations have also advanced the well being of cats. Through increased marketing and wide spread breeding of different types, cats are perhaps the most popular or common, with over 88 million cats in the United States today.<ref>For more on the CFA, see: http://www.cfa.org/</ref>