Cats occupy a special place in many cultures around the world today, but have they always been a part of Native American life and tradition? This question delves into little-known history and urges a re-thinking of assumptions we may hold.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: There is evidence that some Native American tribes did have relationships with cats prior to extensive European contact and trade networks that introduced housecats more widely.

In this nearly 3,000 word article, we will examine the archaeological and anthropological evidence surrounding Native American interactions with wild native cats, as well as the eventual adoption of domesticated cats through European trade and cultural exchange.

Key questions we will explore include: What role did native wild cats like the bobcat play in Native American culture and spirituality? When were domesticated cats first introduced through contact and trade? How did attitudes toward cats vary between tribes and regions?

Let’s dig in to this fascinating slice of cultural history.

The Role of Cats in Early Native American Culture and Spirituality

Reverence for Big Cats Like the Jaguar and Cougar

The jaguar held special significance for many Native American tribes, especially those in Central and South America. The Maya and Aztec civilizations revered the jaguar as a powerful god-like figure and a ruler of the underworld. Temples and pyramids often featured jaguar imagery and symbolism.

The Inca also viewed the jaguar as sacred. Across North America, tribes like the Shawnee and Cherokee saw the cougar as an important animal totem representing leadership, courage, and protection.

Bobcats as Symbols of Power and Ferocity

For tribes of the Eastern Woodlands like the Iroquois and Algonquin, the bobcat was a key animal in mythology and spirituality. Bobcats were seen as possessors of supernatural abilities including shapeshifting. Their stealthy hunting skills also made them symbols of war and warriors.

Some tribes may have kept bobcats as pets to gain their magical powers. Bobcat pelts were prized possessions imbued with the cat’s strength and spirit.

Cats in Mythology and Folklore

Stories of wild cats played a prominent role in many Native American oral traditions. The Blackfoot spoke of the monstrous ghost cat Napa who could shapeshift and bring bad luck. Sioux mythology told of a bobcat who helped a young girl harness the power of the Ghost Wind.

For Southwest tribes like the Navajo, common folklore involved tales of powerful mountain lion beings. Cats of all kinds appear as important figures related to power, wisdom, hunting, and protection in Native American mythology.

Archaeological Evidence of Native Americans Keeping Wild Cats

Bones and Artifacts Suggest Some Limited Keeping of Bobcats

Archaeological evidence indicates that some Native American tribes did occasionally keep wild bobcat kittens as pets. Excavations of ancient village sites have turned up bobcat bones bearing cut marks suggesting the animals were skinned or otherwise processed.

Additionally, bobcat teeth perforated for use as beads or pendants have been found at a handful of sites. This suggests that while large-scale bobcat domestication was not practiced, Native peoples saw value in the animals and kept them on occasion.

For example, analysis of bones from theiddleware period Poole-Rose Ossuary site in Ontario, Canada showed evidence of bobcat butchering and use, indicating they were hunted but also kept on the site at least briefly.

Such limited interactions with local wild cat species seem to have been relatively uncommon overall but do demonstrate some Native peoples took an interest in the animals when young kittens were encountered.

Regional Differences in Interactions with Local Cat Species

Archaeological finds indicate Native American groups had varying practices when it came to local wild cats. In the American Southwest, bones of mountain lions, lynxes, and bobcats have been found in ancient Puebloan sites like Antelope House in Canyon de Chelly, suggesting more frequent utilitarian use of cats in that region.

Conversely, cat interactions appear less common in the Northeast woodlands, where wolves and foxes were more often hunted.

This regional variation extended to attitudes about adopting young captured cats, which seem to have been most open in the Southwest. For example, Hopi oral traditions include references to keeping young bobcats. Plains tribes like the Osage also kept wildcats on occasion.

Overall the archaeological record underscores how local ecology shaped tribal practices – from the Ancestral Puebloans of the desert Southwest to cropland-dwelling Iroquois in the East.

When Were Domesticated Cats First Introduced to Native Americans?

Some Limited Trade with Europeans Prior to Colonization

Before European colonization of the Americas, there was limited trade between some Native American tribes and early European explorers and fishermen. This included the introduction of domesticated animals like cats.

In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, Basque fishermen sailed to the waters off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to fish for cod. They often came into contact with tribes like the Mi’kmaq, trading European goods for furs.

Some scholars believe the Mi’kmaq may have acquired domestic cats from the Basque during this early contact period.

There is also evidence of some early Dutch and English trade with Native American groups like the Iroquois Confederacy prior to full-scale colonization. While not common, it’s possible some cats were given as gifts or traded to tribal leaders and communities during these diplomatic exchanges in the early 1600s.

So before widespread European settlement, a handful of domestic cats from Europe likely reached North America through limited trade and contact between explorers and specific coastal and inland tribes.

Increased Cat Adoption During Colonial Period and Westward Expansion

It wasn’t until sustained contact through the colonial period that domestic cats became more widespread among Native American tribes. As European settlers traveled west across America, they brought many familiar animals like cats to the colonies.

Settlers valued cats for their mousing abilities, helping control rodent populations in homes and on ships. Some tribes acquired pet cats through trade with colonists and frontiersmen.

Intermarriage between Native Americans and European settlers also became more common in the 1700s and 1800s. Brides sometimes brought pet cats with them into tribal villages when settling with Native husbands.

As well, some Native American women chose to adopt cats on their own, appreciating them as hunters and companions. By the mid-19th century, many tribes had incorporated tame cats into their everyday lives.

Regional Variations in Cat Acceptance and Integration

Different tribes had varying openness to accepting and integrating domestic cats into their cultures. Tribes on the East Coast like the Iroquois, Narragansett, and Wampanoag interacted frequently with colonists and were introduced to cats early on.

Cat ownership was widespread among these groups by the 1700s. In the Northwest, tribes like the Tlingit and Kwakwaka’wakw also readily adopted European cats. They prized cats as skilled hunters and incorporated them into their belief systems.

Plains tribes like the Lakota and Cheyenne had limited exposure to colonists in the 18th century, so cat adoption was rarer until increased western expansion in the mid-1800s. Even by the late 1800s, some traditionalist tribal members still viewed cats as a “white man’s animal” and rejected them.

But younger generations tended to accept them over time.

Cultural Attitudes Toward Cats Among Different Tribes

Revered By Some, Reviled By Others

Native Americans held a wide range of views on cats and their place in society. For some tribes, like the Iroquois, cats were seen as sacred animals and were associated with supernatural powers. Cats were admired for their hunting abilities, independence, and mysterious nature.

Other tribes viewed cats more negatively. The Navajo considered cats as wicked creatures associated with witchcraft. Some Plains tribes saw the cat as a bothersome pest that threatened food supplies. These differing cultural attitudes show the diversity of perspectives among Native peoples.

Cats in Native American Folklore and Storytelling

Cats play an interesting role in many Native American myths and legends. In Iroquois folklore, the mythical Lynx constellation is said to represent a powerful cat spirit. Tales tell of medicine men transforming into cats to sneak about undetected.

For the Cherokee, the legend of the Nunnehi includes a race of immortal cat-people. Southwest tribes like the Pima tell stories of a Mountain Lion who served as a deity-like figure. Cats are part of Native American origin stories too – the Potawatomi nation traces its roots back to an ancestral cat deity.

These myths highlight the air of mystery and spiritual power surrounding cats in indigenous cultures.

Differing Views on Proper Relationship With Cats

Native American tribes had different philosophies on the appropriate relationship between mankind and the feline world. The Iroquois believed cats should be respected and honored. According to traditions, cats were created by the spiritual realm as companions to humans.

In contrast, Navajo teachings warned about getting too close to cats. Folklore cautioned against allowing cats into homes or trusting them fully. Many Plains tribes viewed cats as a nuisance animal competing for limited natural resources. They tried to keep cats at a distance from camps.

These examples demonstrate the spectrum of indigenous beliefs about living in harmony with our furry feline friends.

Cats in Contemporary Native American Culture

Cats as Invasive Species or Valued Pets?

The relationship between cats and Native Americans is complex. On one hand, cats were introduced to the Americas by European settlers and can be disruptive to native ecosystems when allowed to roam outdoors.

Feral and outdoor cats are skilled predators that can threaten populations of birds, small mammals, and reptiles. Conservationists consider cats an invasive species that should be controlled on tribal lands. On the other hand, many Native Americans today keep cats as beloved pets.

Cats are the most popular pet in the U.S. for their affectionate nature, independence, and entertaining antics. Across Native nations, you’ll find cats lounging in homes, greeting their owners at the door, and purring on laps.

Some Native American communities are taking steps to manage outdoor and feral cats humanely. The Navajo Nation EPA, for example, recommends keeping owned cats indoors or leashed outdoors to reduce their impact.

They suggest trapping-neuter-return (TNR) programs to stabilize feral cat populations by vaccinating and sterilizing the animals before rereleasing them. Such initiatives allow tribes to balance cat ownership with environmental stewardship.

Symbolic Connections to Cats Persist

Though introduced by Europeans, cats have taken a place in the traditions and symbolism of some Native groups. In Cherokee myths, the bobcat is a prominent character known for ferocity and supernatural abilities. Bobcats appear in stories teaching moral lessons about hygiene, hospitality, and more.

Reverence for bobcats persists among Cherokee artists, who depict the creatures in paintings and crafts. Other tribes, like the Zuni and Blackfeet, incorporated feline motifs into jewelry. The famous Zuni Fetish tradition includes carved cats made of materials like turquoise, shell, and serpentine.

Some Native peoples see parallels between cat traits and human virtues. Among the Ojibwe, the stealthy hunting skills of lynx are associated with courage in battle. Sioux legends tell of women dreaming of wild cats like cougars to gain their strength and cunning.

And cats’ reputation for climbing fearlessly to great heights have earned them a reputation for agility and bravery. While introduced from Europe, cats have left a lasting cultural footprint across Native North America.

Conclusion

The history of interactions between cats and Native Americans reveals a complex cross-cultural story. While some tribes integrated wild cats into their culture and eventually adopted domesticated cats, views on their proper place in Native American society diverged.

Tracing the roots of this long and evolving relationship deepens our understanding of both Native American and feline history. The bonds humans form with their animal companions are ancient, culturally-specific, and worthy of continued study.

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