Archaeological findings indicate the Chinese used cats to help control rat plagues 5,300 years ago, China News Service reported.

Hu Songhai, a researcher with the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeological Research, said archaeologists uncovered cat bone fossils recently in Huaxian county, Shaanxi province.

“Archaeologists have proven local people used cats to help control plagues of rats 5,300 years ago, through scientific and archaeological research,” Hu said.

The research mainly studied the relationship between local people and animals and the food chain relations in ancient times, Hu said.

It is, so far, the earliest evidence to help prove the Chinese used cats to help control rats so long ago, Hu said.