08/08/2025
Happy International Cat Day from the Idaho State Archives! From circus lions to family pet portraiture, our collections contain a variety of feline depictions.
Although today's celebration was established in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, history certainly reveals we have been charmed by cats for much longer.
When the first agricultural societies of human civilization took root in the Fertile Crescent, some 12,000 years ago, our modern relationship with cats was not far behind. The cultural shift from predominantly hunting for food to growing and cultivating surplus resources created space for a unique partnership. Grain stores attracted rodents, which, in turn, attracted wild cats. As agriculture continued to develop, so did the relationship between humans and cats. Naturally, Idaho also welcomed cats with its agrarian expansion. In 1863, The Idaho World reported a wagon sold cats for $10 each (roughly $255 in today's market) and that rates were often higher!
The popular notion of cats as accepted house pets developed in the late 19th century. A few pioneers settling across the West brought cats with them as family pets, but the majority were transported for efficient pest control. Nevertheless, cats quickly warmed their way into the hearts of Idaho families, even earning spots in photo albums!
Photo Citations:
P1970-10-1218-38
P2002-15-9
P1996-26-83-2a
P1982-63-64c cat
