Louis Lelyveld, aged 11, of Rockland, Mass, for his question:

How did house cats live before they became pets?

Cats, we are told, first became pets in ancient Egypt. The people there had a very good reason for wanting them around. They noticed v that certain plagues never struck the cities that had lots of cats. We know that this is because cats catch rats, and those terrible plagues were carried by rats. So, plagues were less common because the rat population was kept low by the cats.

These untamed cats probably lived like many alley cats live today. 'They fed themselves from rats, mice and whatever scraps they could find in the cities.  Farm cats often live in this way they keep the barnyards free of rats and mice. Sometimes they also hunt for a snack in the woods.

Cats make lovely house pets and may not seem to miss their freedom outdoors. But they are very capable animals. They can look after themselves under all sorts of conditions. If necessary, the tamest house cat can fend for herself and return to half wild state outdoors ‑though she prefers to be adopted by a good human family.

It is likely that the ancestors of our domesticated cats lived very like the alley cats and certain farm cats of today. The cat seems to be able to take civilization ‑ or leave it alone.