Research overview: Roman and medieval cat remains in Europe

Zooarchaeological finds of cat bones at Roman and medieval European sites document the steady establishment of cats as urban and rural commensals north of the Mediterranean. This overview surveys evidence from settlements, wells and refuse deposits, including butchery marks on some remains indicating cats were occasionally skinned for fur, alongside others suggesting kept companions and ratters. Body-size measurements track changes over time, and stable isotopes reveal diets shaped by human food and rodent prey. The survey situates these finds within the broader spread of the Egyptian lineage and the gradual normalization of cats in European towns, monasteries and ships, showing how the species moved from exotic import to ubiquitous fixture across the Roman and post-Roman centuries.