These cat bones, dating from the medieval period, likely spanning from the 13th to the 15th century, were uncovered during excavations conducted by the archaeological section of the Winchester Museum Service on Victoria Road in Winchester, during the mid to late 1970s.
A substantial number of cat bones similar to these were discovered in some of the medieval pits at the Victoria Road site. Experts specializing in animal remains were able to determine the age of the cats when they died based on the development of the bones, which was primarily between six and eleven months old. It was suggested that cats roaming the medieval northern suburbs were frequently captured and killed for their hides and fur.
At this age, the cats were more or less mature, with their fur in good condition, yet they were not wary of humans and lacked the cunning to avoid capture, as older animals might have done. Interestingly, the absence of proper cutting marks on the bones, except for cuts on the head where the pelt was removed, implies that these cats were not consumed as a tasty meal afterward.