It's a Cat's Life

From ancient Egyptian deity to present day domestic feline, the cat has a very long and rich history indeed. As the story goes, a cat had wondered into Egypt one day and began killing the mice that were eating the stored grain which the Egyptians had saved for the coming year. Because famine was such a serious problem, the people of Egypt welcomed these felines and believed them to be a sacred gift sent from their gods. The once capital city of Am-Khent, then located in lower Egypt, was named Bubastis in honor of the goddess Bast or Bastet.

In Egyptian mythology, Bast was a daughter of Ra and Isis. She was acknowledged as being associated with music, dancing and anything fun! The people of Egypt had revered their cats as members of the family and, when they died, they would mummify them and adorn them with various gemstomes and jewels.  Even today, cats are considered to be sacred in the country of Turkey. In fact, harming them in any way is forbidden and against the law.

During the Middle Ages; however, cats endured

 the most horrific of atrocities! Due to the

 ignorance of the religious leaders of that time

 in our history who believed that cats, especially

 black cats, were linked to witches and therefore

 must be evil, these beautiful creatures were

 killed and tortured in any way possible by the

 masses! This, in effect, allowed the bubonic

 pleague to spread. Since the disease was

 caused by rats, the same rats which would have

 normally been killed by the cats, it is believed

 that about 25 million people died as a result.

Fortunately for us, cats still live among us, gracing us with their ever-lasting beauty, grace, love, loyalty and equisite presence. I can honestly say that there is nothing that I wouldn't do for my kitties. They are, without a doubt, my best friends and I would be completely lost without them!

A great book I have found for further reading

is called, "Your Magicakal Cat: Feline Magick,

Lore, and Worship" written by Gerina

Dunwich.