ABSTRACT
‘From Mouser to Catwalk: The Journey of the Domestic Cat’ introduces the wider context to the research by presenting a historical overview of the domestic cat’s journey from their wildcat ancestor, Felis silvestris lybica, to living alongside humans in our homes and appearing at competitive cat shows. The chapter begins with a brief introduction to the wider context of the research and situates it within the animal turn. It also includes an overview of the multispecies ethnographic methodology used and the difficulties, yet importance, of incorporating the otherthanhuman’s perspective in anthrozoological research. The second part of the chapter outlines otherthanhuman animal domestication processes, before focusing on feline (semi)domestication and how these processes led to the development of selective breeding and the creation of pedigree cat breeds. As such, this chapter provides the background to the pedigree cat’s story. Finally, the chapter introduces some of the wellbeing consequences associated with pedigree breeding practices, such as inbreeding and selection for aesthetic conformation and exaggerated morphologies.
