Name. Godly Cats The ancient Egyptians adopted the lion, the leopard and the cat as symbols of power and virility. It is clearly established that, by 450 BCE, the penalty in Egypt for killing a cat was death (though this law is thought to have been observed much earlier). Elderly women who cared for cats were especially susceptible to punishment for witchcraft simply on the grounds of being so accused. This cat, Meuzza, also features in another famous story in which Muhammed, called to prayer, found the cat asleep on his arm. [15]:77–79 In Ovid's Metamorphoses, when the gods flee to Egypt and take animal forms, the goddess Diana (the Roman equivalent of Artemis) turns into a cat. The cats would go to the inns where the fishermen were staying and beg for scraps. The Ancient History Encyclopedia logo is a registered EU trademark. 1. [26][27] Cats could be pampered with items bought from the market such as "cat-nests", and were often fed fish that were advertised in the market specifically for cats.[26][27]. Cats in ancient Egypt were represented in social and religious practices of ancient Egypt for more than 3,000 years. Religion/Culture: Japanese mythology Realm: The spirit world Modern Cat Breed: Chausie. The cat was regularly considered a guardian of the home and was thought to be the special protector of valuable books. [32] The story has no origin in early Muslim writers, and seems to confuse a story of a later Sufi saint, Ahmed ar-Rifa'i, centuries after Muhammad. In the Ramayana, the god Indra disguises himself as a cat after seducing the beautiful maid Ahalya as a means to escape from her husband. During some periods in Egypt's history, cats were even seen as divine creatures. A much later development in Greek appreciation for the cat is evidenced in the legend that the cat protected the baby Jesus from rodents and snakes and so is accorded the best of spots in a Greek home but, originally, they do not seem to have been regarded highly. This story was popularized by the Latin writer Antoninus Leberalis (2nd century CE) in his Metamorphosis, a retelling of older tales, which was popular enough to be copied and distributed up through the 9th century CE and to enjoy a wide readership through at least the 16th century CE. Books They prefer to come out during stormy weather, or at night, and are usually accompanied by hellish flames or lightning. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. History and Mythology. Bastets & Sekhmetsby Kotomi Yamamura (CC BY-NC-SA). Cats survived these frenzied superstitions better than many of their human companions and during the Enlightenment of the 18th century were elevated to the status of pampered pets. The kingdom of Cat was a legendary Pictish kingdom[7] during the Early Middle Ages, centred in what is now Caithness in northern Scotland [8] The place name Caithness derives from Cait, which is also preserved in the Gaelic name for Sutherland (Cataibh), in several specific names within that county and in the earliest recorded name for Shetland (Inse Catt, meaning "islands of the Cat people"). Cats are thought to have been brought to Europe by Phoenician traders who smuggled them out of Egypt. Cats first came to North America, it is thought, in 1749 CE, from England, to help control the mice and rat population but they seem to have been largely considered utilitarian until the Victorian Age when they became cherished pets and, in the United States, this was largely due to the influence of Godey's Lady's Book and Sarah Hale's contributions to it. History of cats, (part two) (History and mythology) pets. The cat, therefore, saved his life and was accorded great honours. Senchan found fault in everything that … The goddess cat was named Bastet, also known as Bast. Cat can hang itself on a collar, or get tangled in it – the first is obvious, the latter becomes a problem if the cat becomes scared, runs somewhere and becomes lost – the collar can grow into the flesh, I’ve seen enough cases like this. Herodotus also relates that the Egyptians cared so much for their cats that they placed their safety above human life and property. The magician then took a handful of smoke, added flame, and brought down two of the brightest stars, kneading them together in his hands and blowing on them. This is evidence that cats were being tamed just as humankind was establishing the first settlements in the part of the Middle East known as the Fertile Crescent. Cat shows became increasingly popular after this event and interest in breeding and showing cats spread throughout Europe and North America. An ancient Chinese myth relates that, in the beginning of the world, the gods appointed cats to oversee the running of their new creation and, in order for communication to be clear, granted cats the power of speech. Black cats became the traditionally mentioned companion and hence cats ended up being especially reviled. [14] The earliest unmistakable evidence of the Greeks having domestic cats comes from two coins from Magna Graecia dating to the mid-fifth century BC showing Iokastos and Phalanthos, the legendary founders of Rhegion and Taras respectively, playing with their pet cats. The Beckoning Cat image is thought to bring good luck when given as a gift and remains a very popular present in Japan. [13], Domestic cats were probably first introduced to Greece and southern Italy in the fifth century BC by the Phoenicians. Many works of art have been dedicated to the Grimalkin. Some mistakenly assume that the domestication of cats first happened in Egypt about 4,000 years ago. For centuries, folks in England believed that a cat is liable to … The last common ancestor of wildcats and domesticated cats lived more than 100,000 years ago” (Derbyshire). Legend in Japan has it that a cat waved a paw at a Japanese landlord, who was intrigued by this gesture and went towards it. It is thought that cats were originally domesticated because they hunted mice that would eat stored grains, but a recent study found that cats domesticated themselves. Cats were often housed in private pagodas in Japan and were considered so valuable that, by the 10th century CE, only the nobility could afford to own one. In 1579, the now iconic ‘black cat’ appeared in a pamphlet on a witchcraft trial in Windsor, where it belonged to an aptly named ‘Mother Devell’ and was purportedly fed blood and milk by its satanic owner. Three times the gods came to check on how well the cats were doing their job and all three times were disappointed to find their feline overseers asleep or at play. He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. Cats are featured in the history of many nations, are the subject of legend, and are a favorite subject of artists and writers. Known as the cat goddess of ancient Egypt, Bast, also called Bastet, is the female, first-born child of the sun god Ra. When Fitzwarren's ship returned, it was loaded with riches. According to Sanrio, the official licenser, designer, and producer of Hello Kitty merchandise, the character is a cartoon version of a little girl. Cats are magical creatures. It is usually a sitting cat with one of its paws raised and bent, its left paw be. Breeding and having domestic cats turned into a fashion at the end of the nineteenth century. The Cat in Celtic Lore and Shakespeare Ancient Celtic lore speaks of Grimalkin, a grey cat with magical powers. She too, was a very popular goddess who was thought to embody the importance of cats in the early days of creation. Irusan, King of the Cats Long ago lived a Irish poet named Senchan Torpeist, who was so known for his ability to roast people with his rhymes that even William Shakespeare wrote about him. Cats were so highly valued that, according to Herodotus, when an Egyptianhouse caught fire, the people first concerned themselves with rescuing their cats and only then thought to put the fire out. The goddess cat in Egyptian mythology is well known in the world of mythology. In today's Kattenstoet (Cat Parade), this was commuted to the throwing of woolen cats from the top of out houses and also the people from the Middle Ages often used to suck on the wool as a sign of good luck. Cats are sacred to Freya, the goddess of love and beauty, one of the original fertility … As of 2017, the domestic cat was the second-most popular pet in … The Greek myth which suggests this link is the well known story of Heracles (the Roman Hercules) and concerns Galinthius, a maid-servant to Heracles' mother, the Princess Alcmene. January 15, 2020 0 comments The two species eventually merged creating a new breed which was closely related to the modern Egyptian Mau. In an 1860 article, Hale wrote that cats were not solely for older women or monarchs and that anyone should feel comfortable in embracing the “love and virtue” of the cat. [22], Cats have been considered good luck in Russia for centuries. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. Shakespeare noted that when Senchan began to criticize some mice on his kitchen table with his poetry, they all dropped dead from shame. From agents of pest control to divine or semi-divine creatures, to incarnations of evil, and, finally, to house pets, cats have been the close associates of human beings for centuries. For example, a cat named Mimsey was used by MTM Enterprises as their mascot and features in their logo as a spoof of the MGM lion. The cat was known earlier, however, as by the end of the 3rd century c.e. Exporting them out of the country was illegal, and killing one was a crime punishable by death. When he opened his hands toward Rustum, the warrior saw a small, smoke-grey kitten with eyes bright as the stars and a tiny tongue which darted like the tip of flame. Cats as Divine Creatures. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Cats Domesticated Themselves, Ancient DNA Shows", "The Evolution of House Cats; Genetic and archaeological findings hint that wildcats became house cats earlier--and in a different place--than previously thought", "Dick Whittington and his Cat: The myth and the reality", "Московский Музей Кошки - MOSCOW CAT MUSEUM", "5 Interesting Facts About Maneki Neko (Lucky Cats or Fortune Cats)", "Cats in Japanese Culture and History - KCP International", "Hello Kitty, My Melody, Badtz-Maru and other Sanrio characters at SanrioTown.com", "All About/Cat Supplies; Billions for Food, And Knicknacks to Boot", Revered and Reviled: A Complete History of the Domestic Cat, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cultural_depictions_of_cats&oldid=995314383, Articles needing additional references from April 2016, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 1990, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 20 December 2020, at 10:59. Cats in Egypt held a special importance to the people, as they still do today in most cultures — just think of how people react when they see a black cat on the street. Although cats were kept by people in Greece and Rome, the appreciation for the animal as a hunter was not as great in those cultures owing to the Greek and Roman practice of keeping domesticated weasels for pest control. Egyptian Cat Deities . This list may not reflect recent changes (). Frey & Freya. In her fictional life, she is from the outskirts of London and a part of the Sanrio universe. This trend spread to the United States and was encouraged by the most popular magazine in America at that time, Godey’s Lady’s Book. In modern-day Russia there is a group of cats at the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg. They associated the cat with liberty and divinity and so the cat was the only animal allowed to walk freely around their temples. Here’s a list of 21 most legendary cats in history: 1. Ancient Egyptians highly worshipped and respected felines and protected them by law. The Egyptians, reluctant to defend themselves for fear of harming the cats (and perhaps incurring the death penalty should they kill one), and demoralized at seeing the image of Bastet on the enemy’s shields, surrendered the city and let Egypt fall to the Persians. [21], One English folk tale in which a cat is given a heroic role is Dick Whittington and His Cat, which has been adapted for many stage works, including plays, musical comedies and pantomimes. These are referred to in the Prose Edda as ‘gib-cats’ and are depicted as grey or blue in colour. The greatest example of Egyptian devotion to the cat, however, comes from the Battle of Pelusium (525 BCE) in which Cambyses II of Persia defeated the forces of the Egyptian Pharaoh Psametik III to conquer Egypt. She was often called upon in matters of the heart. [19] Cats are often shown in icons of Annunciation and of the Holy Family[19] and, according to Italian folklore, on the same night that Mary gave birth to Jesus, a cat in Bethlehem gave birth to a kitten.[19]. Rather than disturb the cat, Muhammed cut the sleeve from his robe and left Meuzza to sleep. "Cats in the Ancient World." Cats In Mythology: Cats in mythology, especially as familiars have an extended and darkh historical past in western mythology. Traditionally, historians tended to think that ancient Egypt was the site of cat domestication, owing to the clear depictions of house cats in Egyptian paintings about 3,600 years old. Senchan found fault in everything that … 360-63). [17] Pliny linked them with lust,[18] and Aesop with deviousness and cunning. Cats in Norse Mythology Cats were the favorite animal of the fertility goddess Freyja, who was also the goddess of love and luck. Although it has been commonly accepted that cats were first domesticated in Egypt 4000 years ago, their history among human beings goes back much further. Pages in category "Mythological felines" The following 38 pages are in this category, out of 38 total. The power of speech was then taken from the cats and given to humans but, as humans seemed incapable of understanding the words of the gods, cats remained entrusted with the important task of keeping time and so maintaining order. The great Persian hero Rustum, out on campaign, one night saved a magician from a band of thieves. Mark, published on 17 November 2012 under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. In the past, the islanders raised silkworms for silk, and cats were kept in order to keep the mouse population down (because mice are a natural predator of silkworms). There were two main breeds of cat native to Ancient Egypt. For characters that appear in several separate works, only the earliest work will be recorded here. The association of the cat with ancient Egypt is well known. The first major Cat Show was held at the Crystal Palace in London in 1871CE and appreciation of the cat was elevated to such a level that, for the first time, cats were given “specific standards and classes” which are still used to categorize felines in the present day (Morris, 148). The cultural depiction of cats and their relationship to humans is old and stretches back over 9,500 years. Bastet was also defender of the chief male deity, Ra, a solar deity. Knowing of the Egyptian’s love for cats, Cambyses had his men round up various animals, cats chiefly among them, and drive the animals before the invading forces toward the fortified city of Pelusium on the Nile. Feline Forever: Mythology - cats in ancient Greece. The Romans respected the vermin-catching abilities of the domestic cat, but also saw them as exotic pets and sacred animals. When a cat died, Herodotus writes, “All the inhabitants of a house shave their eyebrows [as a sign of deep mourning]. It tells of a poor boy in the 14th century, based on the real-life Richard Whittington, who becomes a wealthy merchant and eventually the Lord Mayor of London because of the ratting abilities of his cat. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. There are a number of tales of cats mentioned in Scandinavian folklore. Buddhist, Burmese and Siamese cultures believed that cats acted as hosts for certain … Cats became popular and sympathetic characters in folk tales such as Puss in Boots. They were never specifically sought out for domestication like dogs were but their coexistence with humans naturally developed from the mutually beneficial nature of the relationship, with their hunting protecting the food stores. The Egyptians are also responsible for the very name `cat’ in that it derives from the North African word for the animal, “quattah”, and, as the cat was so closely associated with Egypt, almost every other European nation employs variations on this word: French, chat; Swedish, katt; German, katze; Italian, gatto; Spanish, gato and so forth (Morris, 175). The goddess cat in Egyptian mythology is well known in the world of mythology. But Mesopotamian cultures elevated the feline to god status. Several ancient Egyptian deities were depicted and sculptured with cat-like heads such as Mafdet, Bastet and Sekhmet, representing justice, fertility and power. Domestic cats have their place along side the big cats in mythology, too. She is shown riding a chariot, driven by 2 large gray cats. Treasury of Chinese Folk Tales: Beloved Myths and Legends from the Middle... Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. In Greek mythology, Diana, goddess of the hunt and moon and teacher of magick and witchcraft, shapeshifts into Lucifer’s beloved pet cat to gain entrance into his chamber and seduce him. Related Content A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. Sleek, cunning, and a little detached, cats seem to have one foot in the spirit realm, their piercing eyes always gazing just … [33], Cats have also featured prominently in modern culture. Lived more than 3,000 years are again looked after by employees Mr. Fitzwarren in his business and married daughter. Of creation ) King Guaire 3rd century c.e Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, Calif. ) ( BY-NC-SA! History and mythology - learn more about the position of cats of Japan a... Of Japan is a figurine often believed to bring good luck '' cat married his daughter,... Islam, cats were often depicted as a token of gratitude to Rustum native to ancient times cats as.... 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