Stray cats: Pets or pests? Cats and kittens everywhere in the medieval harbour site of Qalhāt (Oman)

Abstract

The discovery of numerous cat remains, including many kittens, in various buildings (i.e., domestic house, cistern, mosque) of the ancient harbour of Qalhāt in Oman is unique among faunal assemblages in the medieval Arabian Peninsula. In this study, a zooarchaeological and taphonomic analysis (ageing, skeletal element distribution, pathologies) is conducted to understand the origin of the cats and to deepen our understanding of human–cat relations. Thus, concerning the cats found in Qalhāt, two hypotheses may explain their presence: they took refuge in one of the buildings and died in situ before the complete destruction of the structures, or the corpses may have been dumped in the structures during a phase of their abandonment, very likely for health reasons.