>Facts, only the facts kids....o one knows for sure.  One article by Dr.
>Freddie Hoffman, from the FDA Veterinarian May/June 1991 Vol VI, No.
>III, states that "Domestication of the European ferret predates that of
>the cat by more than 500 years," and that "Man's use of the ferret as a
>hunter of rodents and rabbits can be traced back as far as the 4th
>century B.C."
 
The 4th century BC is only 2500 years ago.  Mummified cats have been
found in Egyption tombs, dating back over 4000 years.  On the island of
Cyprus, the bones of cats, mice, and humans have been dated back 6000
years.  ( http://www.petpublishing.com/catkit/articles/egypt.shtml )
 
Feline domestication ocurred long before the domestication of ferrets.
 
>Nevertheless, it is clear from other archaeological and historical
>sources that ferrets have been domesticated for quite a while, at least
>2500 years.  According to information from Bob Church, ferrets were
>mentioned in 450-425 BC in plays by Aristophanes, by Aristotle around
>350 BC, and by Pliny in AD 79, for example.
 
Canine domestication is generally thought to go back 15,000 years, but
DNA studies may push that back to 100,000 years!
( https://txspace.tamu.edu//handle/1969.1/1214 )
 
MC, The Rude One
(With Artemus, Rudy, Abraham, and Tumbles.  In spirit: Bubba, Billy-Bob,
Garret, Snorkle, Tuzigoot, Squeeks, and Bancho)
[Posted in FML issue 5205]