COULD YOUR CAT BE A DESCENDANT OF THE REVERED FELINES OF THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PHARAOHS? RESEARCH SAYS IT COULD BE

The SHEBA^® brand is setting out to find a long-lost royal successor, the cat most deserving of their new SHEBA SELECTIONS Filets.

FRANKLIN, Tenn., April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For centuries, cats have allured humans to get what they want – and in ancient Egypt, they even sat alongside the Pharaohs as royalty themselves. While Pharaohs no longer rule the land, cats have remained a cultural obsession, filling our tiny screens, taking over the internet and of course, our homes and hearts. In honor of this regal legacy and to launch their new SHEBA^® SELECTIONS Filets in Broth, a divine food offering, the SHEBA brand set out to find the most divine cat – a long-lost descendant of the Pharaohs' cats – so they could eat like royalty once again.

"Cat parents today know that their pets deserve to be treated like kings and queens, and that ability to get exactly what they want from their humans is part of what people love about cats," said Jean-Paul Jansen, Chief Marketing Officer, Mars Pet Nutrition North America. "From the thrones of ancient Egypt to our modern-day couches, humans' love for their cats has remained strong. We've crafted the new premium offering of SHEBA SELECTIONS Filets with doting pet parents in mind, helping them confidently care for their felines like the absolute royalty they are."

In fact, the pet cats in the U.S. today might actually be descended from Egyptian feline nobility. Dr. Leslie Lyons of the Feline Genetics & Comparative Medicine Lab extracted and analyzed the DNA of a mummified cat from ancient Egypt and compared it to the DNA of our housecats of today, proving that a royal descendant could be among us here in the U.S.; and thus, our search for the regal successor – the cat most deserving of the new SHEBA SELECTIONS Filets – began.

"Identifying a genetic link between the venerated cats of ancient Egypt and the housecats of today was a monumental discovery for my lab," said Dr. Lyons. "Mysteriously, this specific DNA sequence has only been found in cats in Egypt and the U.S., unlocking even more questions to be explored."

The Search for the Heir
Modern-day cat devotees can follow along with the search for an heir of the Pharaohs' cats with an online video series – hosted by famed cat dad, Nathan the CatLady – on the SHEBA brand and Nathan's social channels, with episode one live today.

Over the course of the series, Nathan will travel to meet a compilation of cats in the hopes that one might be the elusive royal successor. Nathan will also meet with Dr. Lyons, and she'll give him an inside look at her lab, where she's conducting DNA tests of potential feline heirs to hopefully find a divine match. He'll even visit the Brooklyn Museum and come face to face with the ancient mummified cat that kicked off Dr. Lyons' groundbreaking study.

"As a life-long cat parent, the idea that there are cats sitting on peoples' laps whose direct ancestors sat on the laps of the Pharaohs is just an incredible thing to think about, so I immediately jumped at the opportunity to help out on this search with the SHEBA team," said Nathan. "My cats certainly act like they're born from nobility, and this discovery makes you realize that some cats really could be as royal as they think they are!"

Which Cat Could it Be?
A descendant of the Pharaohs' cats could be anywhere in the U.S. The SHEBA brand has created the Pharaoh Cat Finder tool, an AI-powered way to help people discover if their cats have similar traits as ancient Egyptian royalty. Pet parents can upload a photo of their cat, and the tool will analyze their kitty's characteristics to determine if their pet might just share similar features to the Pharaohs' cats. Cat parents who use the SHEBA Pharaoh Cat Finder tool will receive a coupon for a free sample of the new SHEBA SELECTIONS Filets, while supplies last. If they share their results to their Instagram stories and tag @shebabrandus, they'll be entered for a chance to win a lifetime supply of SHEBA products (terms and conditions apply).

Food Fit for Feline Royalty
Whether a cat descends from the exalted felines of ancient Egypt or not, all cats deserve the luxury of gourmet, premium SHEBA cat food and SHEBA SELECTIONS Filets, the newest product in the brand's portfolio. It can be served as an appetizer, topper, mix-in or enticing treat for an elevated dining experience, any time of day. The new meal complement is made with the finest ingredients and high-quality protein sources, with real white meat chicken as the first ingredient, along with real shrimp and tuna in a delicate broth.

To learn more about the new SHEBA SELECTIONS Filets, visit SHEBA.com, and to follow the search for feline royalty, check out the brand on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.

About the SHEBA^® Brand
The SHEBA^® brand knows that cat owners love cats for their independent spirits, individual personalities and discerning palates. That's why the SHEBA brand puts cats at the heart of everything it does, creating premium recipes designed to entice cats' unique tastes and desires with irresistible real meat, fish or poultry and no artificial flavors. The SHEBA brand appreciates the relationship between cats and their owners and uses that understanding to celebrate and fuel their unique bond. Look for SHEBA premium cat and kitten food and cat treats at retailers nationwide. For more information, visit www.sheba.com.

About Mars Petcare
Part of Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love, the 85,000 Associates across 50+ countries in Mars Petcare are dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™. With 85 years of experience, our portfolio of almost 50 brands serves the health and nutrition needs of the world's pets – including brands PEDIGREE^®, WHISKAS^®, ROYAL CANIN^®, NUTRO™, GREENIES™, SHEBA^®, CESAR^®, IAMS™ and EUKANUBA™, as well as the Waltham Petcare Science Institute that has advanced research in the nutrition and health of pets for over 50 years. Mars Petcare is also a leading veterinary health provider through an international network of over 2,000 pet hospitals and diagnostic services including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™, Linnaeus, AniCura and Antech. We're also active in innovation and technology for pets, with WISDOM PANEL™ genetic health screening and DNA testing for dogs, the WHISTLE™ GPS dog tracker, and LEAP VENTURE STUDIO accelerator and COMPANION FUND programs that drive innovation and disruption in the pet care industry. As a family business and guided by our principles, we are privileged with the flexibility to fight for what we believe in – and we choose to fight for our Purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.

CONTACTS:
Jonathan E. Bayless
Mars Petcare
[email protected]

Jaime Castile
Weber Shandwick
[email protected]

SOURCE The SHEBA® Brand