We are now in Cadiz, Spain, at the location below that’s circled in red.
and visited a small underground archaeological dig from Phoenician times. There I saw remains of a cat from the 8th century BC:
Here it is below. I believe the earliest evidence for cat domestication is about 10,000 years ago from Cyprus. This one is considerably younger, and these don’t look like cat bones to me, but I assume the experts know what they’re digging up.
Finally, I found a gorgeous stray tabby kitten on the streets of Rabat, Morocco, and couldn’t resist petting it. It promptly crawled into my lap and, purring, fell asleep. I was very sad that I couldn’t bring it home with me (“Rabat” would be a great name for a cat). And I couldn’t do what Muhammad was reputed to do: cut off the sleeve of his robe when the call to prayer came but his favorite cat, Muezza, was sleeping on it.
This afternoon we’re off to Jerez for a sherry tasting (most other folks are in Seville, but I’ve been there.)
“Rabat” would be a great name for a cat – a couple of friends have been naming their cats after places they have visited or the rulers of those places for years. I have fond memories of “Tito”, so it’s been going on for a while…!
Sweet photo of you and the tabby kitten. Were there a lot of them roaming the streets?
Yes, quite a few in Rabat but not so many in Marrakech. Sadly, the ferals are not in good shape
We were on a train platform in Delhi, India, when a cute little puppy wandered up. As we went to pet it, our tour guide said, “Don’t pet it! Rabies!” Beware the allure.