Evidence indicates that cats were first tamed in Egypt. The Egyptians stored grain, which attracted rodents, which attracted cats. {No evidence that such a thing happened with the Mayans, though a number of wild cats are native to the area.} I don't think this is accurate. It is certainly not the whole story. Cats didn't start as mousers. Weasels and snakes and dogs are more efficient as rodent-control agents. I postulate that cats started as psychic companions, as Familiars, and have never deviated from this function.
William S. Burroughs suggests that the domestication of cats originated in Egypt, where their presence was linked to the storage of grain that attracted rodents. Despite this, he points out that there is no evidence to suggest that the same process occurred in Mayan culture, despite the presence of wild cats. This view on cat domestication doesn't fully capture the complexity of their relationship with humans.
Burroughs argues that cats should not just be seen as practical rodent controllers, as other animals perform this task more effectively. Instead, he proposes that cats have historically played a role as psychic companions or Familiars, suggesting that their primary purpose has always been to provide emotional and spiritual support to humans rather than merely pest control.