Aegean cats have a history that dates back thousands of years. They are believed to have originated in the Cycladic Islands.
Archaeological evidence suggests that these cats may have been domesticated about 10,000 years ago on the island of Cyprus, which is just off the coast of Greece. If it’s true that ancient people shared their lives with these felines, they are truly one of the oldest cat breeds in existence today.
DNA evidence suggests that Aegean cats share common ancestry with the Angora and other Turkish cat breeds. It’s likely that they found their way to Greece and islands throughout the Aegean Sea by hopping aboard the fishing and trading vessels that frequented the region.
The Aegean cat has only been recognized as a unique cat breed since the 1990s – so it’s both a “new” cat breed and an ancient one!