This morning (November 28, 2013) National Geographic Wild (NGW) broadcasted a documentary on TV showing the Sacramento-Davis area scientist from the University of California - Davis, Leslie A. Lyons, School of Veterinary Medicine, and her research team traveling abroad a few years ago to find out where cats originated by testing their DNA in various countries. Was it Egypt or Turkey where the cat was first domesticated, most likely to keep the stored grain safe from mice? The answer is Egypt. You can check out the study, published in the January 2008 issue of Genomics, "The ascent of cat breeds: Genetic evaluations of breeds and worldwide random-bred populations."

The house cats' family tree is rooted in Fertile Crescent, starting with Egypt, the study confirmed as it covered the diaspora of the modern cat. Cats roaming the temples in Southern Egypt were found to be bigger than housecats in other parts of the world, as if they had more recently begun to be domesticated.

Thousands of years ago in Egypt, cats protected the grain bins from being eaten by rodents. From there, cats spread over most of the world. You also can check out the site, The Lyons' Den - UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

The feline genetics laboratory of Professor Leslie Lyons at UC Davis is located in the Center for Companion Animal Health (CCAH). Research focuses on the genetics of the domestic cat and the development of genetic tools and resources that assist gene mapping in the cat and other companion animals.

Feline research is focused on the discovery of mutations that cause inherited diseases and phenotypic traits and in the population dynamics of breed development and domestic cat evolution. See, "Feline Research Projects" and "How to Participate." All cats can participate, and all contributions are confidential, the website notes.

There are a variety of ways to assist genetic research of the domestic cat - any cat owner can be of assistant. Listed below are the different ways you can help. Please also see the Feline Research Projects for additional information.

The Fertile Crescent of the Middle East has long been identified as a cradle of civilization for humans. In a new genetic study, researchers at the University of California, Davis, have concluded that all ancestral roads for the modern day domestic cat also lead back to the same locale.

Findings of the study, according to the January 28, 2008 news release, "Cats' family tree rooted in Fertile Crescent, study confirms," involving more than 11,000 cats, are reported in the cover article of the January 2008 issue of the journal Genomics. This study confirms earlier research suggesting that the domestication of the cat started in the Fertile Crescent region. It also provides a warning for modern cat fanciers to make sure they maintain a broad genetic base as they further develop their breeds, said Monika Lipinski, according to the news release. Lipinski (at the time of the 2008 news release) is noted in the news release as a lead researcher on the study and a doctoral candidate in the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Leslie Lyons, an authority on cat genetics and principal investigator on this study, said, according to the news release: More than 200 genetic disorders have been identified in modern cats, and many are found in pure breeds. We hope that cat breeders will use the genetic information uncovered by this study to develop efficient breed-management plans and avoid introducing genetically linked health problems into their breeds.

History of the Modern Cat

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Cats' family tree rooted in Fertile Crescent, starting with ...

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