{"id":2495,"date":"2025-03-07T16:50:08","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T08:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.silkdivas.com\/blog\/?p=2495"},"modified":"2025-04-01T10:15:30","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T02:15:30","slug":"ancient-pet-lovers-fans-of-cats-and-dogs-throughout-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.silkdivas.com\/blog\/index.php\/2025\/03\/07\/ancient-pet-lovers-fans-of-cats-and-dogs-throughout-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Ancient Pet Lovers: Fans of Cats and Dogs Throughout History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The history of pet ownership is, in many ways, a reflection of human civilization\u2019s evolution. While the domestication of cats and dogs dates back to ancient times, they were originally chosen as companions for their practical skills\u2014cats for hunting rodents and dogs for guarding and hunting. In early societies, where resources were limited, people didn\u2019t have the luxury of keeping pets purely for companionship. Instead, their value was largely based on their usefulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chinese tradition of keeping pets has a long history, dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770\u2013476 BCE). The earliest domesticated pets in China were dogs and cats. Archaeological evidence suggests that dogs were an integral part of ancient Chinese households, especially among the nobility and royal families, where people dressed in Hanfu<\/a> considered them loyal companions and skilled hunting aides. According to The Book of Rites, noble families in the Spring and Autumn Period, whose members wore Hanfu, already kept dogs as pets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for cats, the earliest records of their domestication in China date back to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE\u2013220 CE). While the exact timeline is debated, it is generally believed that cats began to be domesticated between 500 BCE and 200 BCE, primarily for their role in controlling rodent populations. Over time, cats transitioned from working animals to cherished pets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, are you a devoted follower of the Cat Cult or the Dog Cult? Before we get into that debate, let\u2019s first take a look at how the Chinese have been dedicated pet owners throughout history!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2160. Cats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The earliest recorded mention of cats in China can be traced back to The Book of Songs<\/em>: \u201cThere are bears and badgers, there are cats and tigers.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Cats were initially domesticated to protect crops from rodent infestations. Even\u00a0Emperor Wuzong\u00a0of the Tang Dynasty (Li Yan) gave cats an elegant nickname\u2014“Mouse General.”<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Song Dynasty, people had a deep affection for cats. Artists frequently depicted cats in their paintings, often portraying them playing with butterflies. This imagery was a play on words\u2014“\u732b”<\/em>\u00a0(m\u0101o<\/em>) sounds like “\u8004\u800b<\/em>” (m\u00e0odi\u00e9<\/em>), which symbolizes longevity and good health. The painting below, Mao Die Tu<\/em> (\u300a\u8004\u800b\u56fe\u300b), was created by Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Many Song Dynasty paintings feature pet cats, such as Hollyhock and Playing Cat<\/em>\u00a0(\u300a\u8700\u8475\u6e38\u732b\u56fe\u300b) by Mao Yi\u00a0(\u6bdb\u76ca). This artwork shows a white and yellow long-haired cat with a short face, likely representing the “Lion Cat”\u2014a breed admired for its beauty rather than its hunting skills. There is also a piece of Ming Dynasty clothing called Joyful Cat<\/a> related to cats on our website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some pampered cats lived lives of sheer luxury, thanks to their doting owners. The famous poet Lu You was a devoted cat lover who kept multiple cats and even wrote poetry about them. In his poem To My Cat<\/em>, he expresses guilt over not being able to provide his beloved feline with better food:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I welcomed this little tabby with salt in hand,<\/em>
<\/em>It guards my study and all my books stand.<\/em>
<\/em>Yet ashamed am I, so poor and low,<\/em>
<\/em>No warm mat in winter, no fish to bestow.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In ancient China, selecting a pet cat was a ritualistic process. The first consideration was fur color. Solid-colored cats were highly prized, especially orange cats, which were affectionately called \u201cGolden Silk Tigers.<\/em> (<\/em>\u91d1\u4e1d\u864e)<\/em>\u201d<\/em> Other coat colors also had poetic names:<\/p>\n\n\n\n