"Additionally, they’ve discovered the remains of several critters, including cockroaches, rats and at least two domestic cats."

The idea that we've recovered identifiable cockroaches that have been submerged for almost 500 years breaks a few ideas I had about reality.

>The two felines—one adult, one juvenile—appear to have been cared for by the sailors

so, these were ship's cats rather than passenger or cargo cats.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship%27s_cat

"The ship's cat has been a common feature on many trading, exploration, and naval ships dating to ancient times... most importantly to control rodents"

and one presumes others were on most every other ship to have plied those waters

I’m surprised there would be any skeletal remains at all after 400+ years. The article is light on science but the original paper mentions Isotopic analysis which is very interesting.

I mean… these might be the easiest known cats, but I’m not sure they arrived.

It is sad; These cats did not make it.

I love cats but I cannot deal with the inevitable cleanup of the litter box.