clipped from: www.cosmosmagazine.com   
We built our modern civilisation on the backs of a supporting cast of plants, animals and microbes.
modern genetic and archaeological methods are giving us a clearer picture than ever before of where and when these mutually beneficial partnerships were born.
15,000 to 11,000 BC:
Dogs domesticated as Ice Age glaciers retreat.
10,000 to 8000 BC:
Goats domesticated in Iran and neighbouring countries.
9,000 to 8000 BC:
Wheat domesticated in the Karacadag Mountains of Southeast Turkey
7,000 BC:
Maize domesticated in the Americas
6,500 BC:
Cattle domesticated along the Middle East's Euphrates River
6,000 BC:
Pigs domesticated in China and the Middle East.
5,500 BC:
Horses domesticated, somewhere on the Eurasian steppes.
2,000 BC:
Cats were certainly domesticated in Egypt by this point, though evidence from Cyprus suggests cats and humans were living closely together as early as 8,000 BC. C
Cats provided the service of hunting rodents that would otherwise infest food stores.