Domestic Animals and Pets 

Domestication of pets dates back to many centuries and you will find its origin in history. Many animals are domesticated like horses, bulls, elephants, cats, dogs, and a few others. In today’s world, the two most loved animals for pets are cats and dogs. Wolf domestication started in the late Mesolithic when humans were nomadic animal hunters. The wolves that were less afraid of humans were taken to the hunting camps and over time adapted to the utilities and environment. There are many >benefits of owning dogs one of which is guarding.  

If we talk about cat domestication it started from the early agriculture of Neolithic settlements around the East. The wildcat domestication happened through the process of self-selection. In this, the human analyzes the behavior of the different species and correlates the character of assortative mating. This process is coupled to create a domestic cat complicit to the urban environment.  

Earlier this process was carried out by the Eurasian and the evolution of the cat was initially natural rather than artificial. In this article, we have talked about the history, process, and artificial, and natural selection in detail. Read our full article, to understand the origin and history of pet domestication. 

Natural Vs. Artificial Domestication

Artificial domestication is a unique and unnatural process of domestication of animals. Even though the process is unnatural the success rate of this process is remarkable. The fundamentals of artificial selection or manifest as domestication have harnessed 4 billion years of evolution process that we as humans have inherited. Not only the cross-pollination of the plants but that kind of method is also used on animals thus making many domestic animals over the years. 

However, this also has side effects in many ways. More importantly with the increase in the human habitat, the demand for resources is also increasing and this artificial process has eliminated many species from Earth. Humans began to domesticate animals and plants during the Neolithic Revolution. Not only did this lead to an abundance of calories and nutrients, but it also led to the development of an agrarian economy. 

The Neolithic Revolution involved a wide-ranging use of both animal and plant resources, which paved the way for the development of cities and a host of innovations that gave rise to what we know as modern culture today. It’s worth noting that much of what we know of today’s society owes its origins to the practice of artificial selection.  

Domestication of Animals

Now that you know about the history and origin of pets domestication, let’s talk about the animals that are domesticated widely over the period. 

Dogs

The domestication of dogs is a bit different from the barnyard animals. Domestication of cows, horses, sheep, and other such animals provides utility to the human benign. But what can a wolf do once domesticated? Well, it came out that the early domestication of wolves and then dogs made a good guarding animal. This offered subsequent lessons to the humans and more cross-breeding started afterwards. 

Due to the sharp listening and smelling characteristics of wolves humans started using them for warning, animal invaders, and other such works. Over time, these wolves were gradually separated from the larger, self-sustaining wolf population by natural selection and speciation. As humans started interacting with wolves directly, a “cultural process” probably took place.

Cats

Domestic cats, on the other hand, followed a very different evolutionary path. Wild cats, the progenitors of domestic cats, do not appear to be a candidate for domestication. Wild cats are obligate carnivores, as are all felids. They have limited metabolic capacity to digest anything other than protein (Bradshaw, 1996). This led to the creation of >various breeds of cats. 

Cats lead solitary lives and defend their exclusive territories fiercely. They tend to be more attached to places than people. Furthermore, cats do not perform directed tasks and their practical utility (even as mousers) is debatable (Elton (1953). Many people ask can a feral cats be domesticated. The answer is yes, just like >Persian cats they can be domesticated but the process is slow and difficult. 

Is wild animal domestication still going on?

Yes, wild animal domestication is still relevant in today’s day and age, however, compared to the ancient times the process is slower and less extensive. Some of the examples include minks and species of foxes that are bred in captivity for fur production. Not only land animals but water animals and >birds are also domesticated as pets for various purposes. 

There are also ongoing attempts to domesticate some wild species for farming or as pets, although these often come with ethical and logistical issues. All in all, while wild animal domestication is still going on, it’s usually more targeted and focused on particular characteristics or uses.

Final Thought

Domestication of animals is an ongoing process and is still relevant today. As we have already mentioned earlier the process now is slower than what was going on in the past. However, scientists are working extensively on using animals in different ways. They are researching other wild animals and their domestication. In this article, we have covered in detail about every aspect of wild animal domestication. We hope that you like reading this piece.

Nisha Patel

I'm Nisha, a passionate pet enthusiast who love to share my knowledge with all pet owners. With years of firsthand experience and a deep love for animals, I bring a unique perspective to the world of pet care.