Before cats became one of the most beloved pets in the world, they didn’t even exist in Greece. So, when and how did the first feline arrive in the Greek world—and why did the ancient Greeks prefer... weasels?
For centuries, the people of the Aegean and mainland Greece had never encountered the animal we now associate with vertical pupils and mysterious behavior. Cats appeared in the region much later than one might imagine—and when they did, they didn’t arrive alone.
Despite popular belief, the domestication of cats didn’t begin in ancient Egypt. It actually started around 7500 BC in the fertile lands of the Near East, where early farmers stored grain that attracted mice—mice that, in turn, attracted wild cats. Gradually, cats became humans’ allies in the fight against rodents. Thousands of years later, these early feline-human partnerships spread with traders and sailors across the Mediterranean.
The first confirmed presence of domestic cats in Greece dates to around 1200 BC, during the time of the Mycenaeans, the Phoenicians, and expansive Mediterranean voyages. The Phoenicians brought cats aboard their ships to control rodent populations on deck, but also traded them as valuable goods. Their frequent commerce with Egypt helped spread cats even further, and soon these animals could be found in Aegean ports, the Cyclades, and the Peloponnese.
Before cats became widespread in ancient Greece, people relied on weasels to protect their homes and granaries from vermin. Although less sociable, weasels were considered highly effective. Aristotle barely mentions cats in his works, and Herodotus, who saw them in Egypt, wrote about them with wonder—as if describing something exotic and unfamiliar.
It took centuries for cats to become integrated into Greek society. During the Classical period, they were rarely depicted in art, murals, or mosaics. In fact, one of the earliest artistic representations of a cat in the Greek world appears not in Greece but in Southern Italy (Magna Graecia) in the 5th century BC, on coins showing cats playing with children.
It was the Romans who truly embraced the cat and helped elevate its status. By the time of the Roman Empire, cats had won people over—not just with their charm, but with their usefulness. As Roman trade and military presence reached Greek ports, cats had already become a common sight on ships, in warehouses, and in households. It was only a matter of time before they became part of everyday Greek life as well.
So no, the first cat in Greece didn’t arrive with a king, wasn’t sent by a goddess, and is nowhere to be found in mythology. It came quietly—tucked between spices, ceramics, slaves, and other goods—on a merchant ship that docked at an Aegean port. And from that day on, it never left.
