Finally, there is absolute proof that cats have been acting like jerks since at least Roman times! Recently, an archaeologist at the Gloucester City Museum just so happened to be examining a Roman roof tile all the way back from 100 C.E. when he noticed it had a cat’s paw print on it. This “tegula” tile was dug up in Berkeley Street in 1969.
“When Romans made roof tiles they left the wet clay out to dry in the sun,” stated a museum spokesman. “Animals, and people, sometimes walked across the drying tiles and left their footprints behind. The cat is thought to have snuck across the wet tiles in Gloucester in about AD 100, probably at the annoyance of the tile makers…”
David Rice, who is curator at Gloucester City Museum, explained to Discovery News that he believes that there are more cat paw prints discovered on ancient Roman tiles in Britain than anywhere else within the Roman Empire. Yet another example of cats just being huge jerks? Or is it perhaps they have something against the British?
This Roman roof tile with a cat’s paw imprint dates all the way back to 100 C.E.
Image credits: Gloucester City Museum
It is one of the most ancient oldest examples of cat “Vandalism” in the U.K.
Image credits: Gloucester City Museum
This particular one was discovered over in Washington State, and probably came to the New World by ship long ago.
Image credits: Fort Vancouver Historical National Historic Site
Even this document, all the way back from March 11th, 1445, fell prey to the inky paws of a cat!
Image credits: Emir O. Filipovic
More info: venues.gloucester.gov.uk (h/t: twistedsifter, telegraph)
