Facts about cats in ancient Egypt

13 facts about cats and the role they played in ancient Egypt

1. Laws and Customs of Cat Protection

   Cats were not allowed to be taken outside of their country if they lived in Egypt. There were even laws enacted that never allowed the cats that lived in Egypt to leave the country.

2. Ancient Egyptian Cat Funerals and Customs

   Many families who lost their cat in ancient Egypt considered the loss a complete tragedy. Families spent time mourning the loss of their pets. Some shaved their eyebrows to mourn the loss of their cat. Shaving their eyebrows symbolized the pain they felt in losing their family pet.

3. The cat a sacred animal.

   Bastet believed her cat was a sacred animal, and sometimes, the goddess was even depicted as a woman with a cat's head. She also helped defend Ra, who was the "god of the sun," which also represented beauty, joy, and happiness.

4. Bastet's Festivals and Expanding Worship in Ancient Egypt

   The celebration of the goddess Bastet at Bubatis grew into one of ancient Egypt's most significant and widely attended festivals. Bastet's worship extended beyond Bubatis in Esna, Thebes, and Memphis. During the Ptolemaic period, there was a rise in the popularity of cults associated with animals.

5. The Severe Consequences for Harming

   People who caused the death of a cat were given capital punishment. Even a Phaoroh couldn't kill a cat without receiving this extremely punitive punishment for their actions.

6. Sacred and Beloved Pets

   Ancient Egyptian societies viewed cats as sacred and royal pets. Cats made up about 90% of the pets that were kept in ancient Egyptian society. Dogs were only found on or at about 5% of graves in ancient Egypt, proving that the society far preferred cats as pets rather than dogs.

7. Cats as Eternal Companions

   Cats were sacrificed to be buried next to their owner if their owner were to pass away. The cats were buried in small graves next to their owners, which allowed the cat to accompany their owners to the "other side" when they passed away. Certain exceptions may be made based on the laws in that area at any specific time.

8. Divine Vessels

   Cats were considered "vessels" of the Egyptian gods. Some divinities even adopted cats in order to show that they were the "spirit animals" of the elites in that society.

9. Cat Cemeteries

   Cats had their own cemeteries throughout ancient Egypt. Owners buried cats near them, and they mummified some in significant quantities. Out of every 100 animal skeletons found buried with their owners, 86 of them were cat skeletons rather than those of other animals.

10. Diverse Cats in Ancient Egypt

    Throughout Egypt, cats evolved and continued to live with people. There were more than three different types of cats found in ancient Egypt.

11. Symbols of Good Luck in Ancient Egyptian Home

    Cats were considered to bring only the best luck to Egyptian households who kept them as pets. Many people kept cats, thinking they would have more good luck if they owned one as a pet.

12. The Goddess of Fertility, Motherhood, and Sun Worship

    The goddess Bastet represented fertility, motherhood, protection, and the sun. The worship of cats gained popularity when the city of Bubastis was designated as the primary center for honoring the goddess Bastet.

13. the earliest known remains

    Did you know that the earliest known remains of a cat in ancient Egypt have been dated to sometime before 4000 BC?

Bibliography

• The cat in ancient EgyptMálek, Jaromír
• Ancient Egyptian animalsMcDonald, Angela
• The complete cat encyclopediaPond, Grace