Medary.com

The Fertile Crescent of the Middle East has long been identified as a "cradle of civilization" for humans. In a new genetic study, researchers at the University of California, Davis, have concluded that all ancestral roads for the modern day domestic cat also lead back to the same locale.

Findings of the study, involving more than 11,000 cats, are reported in the cover article of the January issue of the journal Genomics.

"This study confirms earlier research suggesting that the domestication of the cat started in the Fertile Crescent region," said Monika Lipinski, lead researcher on the study and a doctoral candidate in the School of Veterinary Medicine. "It also provides a warning for modern cat fanciers to make sure they maintain a broad genetic base as they further develop their breeds."