It is thought that cats originally evolved around 200 million years ago from reptiles. The shape and composition of the teeth of modern cats is fairly similar to that of a creodont (a primitive fish-eating mammal that lived during the Paleocene and Miocene periods – from around 65 million years ago to around 5 million… Continue reading Genetic origins of the cat
Author: Jenny Hill
Cats in ancient Rome
The Romans respected the vermin-catching abilities of the domestic cat, but also saw them as exotic pets and sacred animals. They associated the cat with liberty and divinity, so the cat was the only animal allowed to walk freely around their temples. Libertas (the goddess of liberty) was often depicted with a cat at her… Continue reading Cats in ancient Rome
Cats in Norse mythology
The Norse goddess Freya (Freyja) had a chariot drawn by two large grey or blue cats (possibly Norwegian Forest Cats) called “Gib-cats” in the Prose Edda (a collection of Norse tales compiled in 1220 A.D. by Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson). They were given to her by Thor and used by Freya to travel to the… Continue reading Cats in Norse mythology
Cats in ancient Greece
Gata is Greek for cat, but ancient Greek words such as ailurophobia (fear of cats) are derived from the name Ailuros which was the Greek name for the ancient Egyptian goddess Bast. The ancient Greeks saw Bast as a version of their lunar goddess Artemis. In one legend (recounted in Metamorphosis by Antoninus Liberalis) Artemis… Continue reading Cats in ancient Greece
Cats in Finnish mythology
In Finland it was believed that cats led the souls of the dead on the dangerous journey through the underworld to heaven (or hell). “The Kalevala” is an epic Finnish poem arranged by Finn Elias Lonnrot and compiled from Finnish and Karelian folklore. In one story, a witch decided to invite herself into a house… Continue reading Cats in Finnish mythology
Cats in Ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptians were without a doubt the most cat friendly society. The cat was central to their religion and was considered to be sacred. Many animals in Egypt were linked to gods and goddesses, but only the cat was considered to be semi-divine in its own right. As a demi-god, a cat could not… Continue reading Cats in Ancient Egypt
Cats in the Middle East and Africa
Ashanti Cats seem to have been popular with the Ashanti people (from Ghana). An Ashanti legend tells that because the cat was so loyal and the dog so jealous and vindictive the Chief decreed that cats could sleep inside the tent and eat with the tribe while their dogs must sleep outside in the dust… Continue reading Cats in the Middle East and Africa
Rubbing and kneeding
Rubbing A cat will often rub her face and body against an object or person in order to mark it with her scent. However, this can also be a greeting or a sign of affection. A friendly greeting between cats is the touching of noses, and this is often followed by the cat rubbing their… Continue reading Rubbing and kneeding
Eye contact
Eye contact can be a way of establishing dominance. If you often avert your gaze your cat may assume that she is the dominant party in the relationship. For this reason, many cats can find sustained direct eye contact to be aggressive. If you do not know a cat well, do not stare at her… Continue reading Eye contact
Expansion of the territory of the cat
The ancient Egyptians did not allow the export of cats. This was partly because they were very useful for a society based on agriculture, and partly due to the respect accorded the cat in Egyptian society. Not only was the cat semi-divine, but as such they could not be the property of anyone other than… Continue reading Expansion of the territory of the cat