Pets or pelts: Cat fur exploitation in medieval Portugal

Abstract

The presence of domestic cats (Felis catus) in medieval urban settlements was frequent, as attested by cat remains identified among various faunal assemblages from that period. However, cat remains are rarely the focus of zooarchaeological analysis, and little is known about the interaction between these felines and humans at that time.

Archaeological excavations in Almada, Portugal, revealed the presence of storage pits filled with domestic waste from the Late Middle Ages. Among these, a unique collection of cat bones, representing 13 individuals, was found inside two storage pits filled during the 12th-13th century. We present the results obtained in the analysis of this cat assemblage, which stands out by the presence of several skeletons with cutmarks associated with skinning, possibly providing the first archaeological evidence of cat fur exploitation in medieval Portugal.