The establishment of the Columbus Cats traces back to the mid 2000s when Matthew Reiss, a former fullback for the Cincinnati Dockers, relocated to central Ohio. Around the same time, Chester Ridenour returned from a trip to Australia with a newfound passion for Aussie Rules Football. Ridenour joined the Dockers, and his enthusiasm complemented Reiss's experience. Together, they decided to establish a club in their hometown, leading to the formation of the Columbus Cats in 2008. Ridenour leveraged his connections with Thomas Worthington High School to recruit initial players, facilitating the club's early growth. ​Initially, the mens team was known as the Jackaroos, and the women’s team as the Jillaroos. 10 years later the club went through a rebrand, in 2018 they changed to the Columbus Cats.

In their inaugural year, the Cats secured a victory against the Cincinnati Dockers, marking a promising start. The team continued to develop and under the leadership of former Marine, John Fisher, who became head coach in 2011, the team adopted a style emphasizing hard running and handball. This approach led to significant victories, including wins over the Nashville Kangaroos and the North Carolina Tigers. In 2012, the Cats reached the Division Three grand final at the USAFL Nationals but narrowly lost to the Chicago Swans under controversial circumstances.

The following year, the team channeled their determination into an impressive season, culminating in winning the Division Two National Championship in 2013. They defeated teams such as Baltimore/Washington, Minnesota, and New York, and triumphed over the Los Angeles Dragons in the grand final, marking a significant achievement in the club's history.