Cats

• 1. Felines and Pharaohs

  30m

  The domestic cat had its origins in ancient Egypt. But how did it become domesticated and who were its ancestors?

• 2. A Love Hate Affair

  30m

  Revered as a god by the Pharaohs, the cat arrived in Britain with the Romans. But later it had to endure centuries of persecution and torture, a victim of its association with the old pagan religions. The cat had not changed - only people's perception of this solitary, promiscuous hunter of the night, whose light-reflective eyes and screeching voice were thought to be signs of the devil.

• 3. Pet or Pest?

  30m

  As the British Empire expanded, how did the world's cat population grow? What was its impact and how did cats transform society?

• 4. The Aristocats

  30m

  Roger Tabor goes in search of pedigree cats, from the favourites to the forgotten breeds. They include the first long-haired cat, the Angora, the Van swimming cat of Turkey, and Japan's unique Bobtail "good luck" breed.

• 5. Cat and Supercat

  30m

  The domestic cat will soon overtake the dog as the most popular pet in the world. But is man's interference threatening the future of the species? In America, breeding has caused health problems for Siamese and Persians, and the desire for novelty cats, such as the dog-shaped Munchkin, is increasing.

Cast