It is thought that wild cats began to live and hunt near to human settlements in Western Asia and the Middle East during the Early Neolithic period (also known as the New Stone Age) around ten to eleven thousand years ago. This was because the development of agriculture encouraged mice and other scavengers to congregate… Continue reading Prehistory of the cat
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Submissive and aggressive poses
A cat may strike a submissive pose because she is scared or nervous. This will generally include holding her tail low or between her legs and holding her head pointed downwards and possibly even prostrating herself entirely before you. Between two cats who do not know each other, or who do not get on very… Continue reading Submissive and aggressive poses
Genetic origins of the cat
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
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