| Cats and dogs have long been an integral part of | | | | vermin populations in granaries. But the cat also |
| many families. Cats are only second to dogs in | | | | took on a new place of importance in Egypt's |
| popularity as family pets. But of course, cats | | | | religion. An off-shoot of the traditional religious |
| haven't always been the domesticated household | | | | movement developed which worshipped cats. The |
| animal that we know today. | | | | cat goddess Bastet (also identified as Bast of |
| It's difficult to trace the origin of cats, but some | | | | Pasht) was represented with a figurine of a head |
| scientists believe that the original predecessor of | | | | of a cat. Cats quickly became sacred to the |
| cats was a weasel like animal called Miacis, which | | | | Egyptians; they were well cared for in the family |
| inhabited earth about 40 million or 50 million years | | | | home and once the cat died, its body was |
| ago. Actually, Miacis is thought to be the common | | | | mummified and buried in a special cemetery. One |
| ancestor of all land-dwelling carnivores, including | | | | cemetery found in the 1800s contained the |
| both cats and dogs. | | | | preserved bodies of more than 300,000 cats. The |
| But apparently the cats were on earth before | | | | Egyptian cat is the predecessor of many of our |
| dogs -- millions of years before the first dogs. | | | | modern day breeds of cat. Although the |
| The first appearance of the prehistoric cats is | | | | Egyptians had strict laws prohibiting the export of |
| Smilodon, the saber-toothed cat sometimes called | | | | the sacred cat, other cultures quickly came to |
| a tiger. Cats were not as easily domesticated as | | | | appreciate the cat's rat-catching prowess. Cats |
| dogs (and I am a good example for that..smile | | | | were soon smuggled or taken out of Egypt and |
| smile). These animals had strong hunting intuition | | | | brought to Greece and Rome, among other parts |
| which didn't easily translate into co-operative | | | | of Europe. |
| instincts. Initially, cats brought their hunting instincts | | | | At the same time, domestic cats were found in |
| into the home, even attacking small babies. The | | | | India, China, and Japan where they served as |
| early domestication of cats occurred primarily in | | | | pets as well as rodent catchers. Overtime cat's |
| Africa and southeastern Asia. | | | | changed and certain breeds were bred for ideal |
| In early days, cats served many purposes in | | | | characteristics: eye color, hair length, marking |
| homes, none of which were decorative. Cats | | | | patterns, etc. These many different varieties of |
| were domesticated for their hunting skills, in the | | | | cat can all claim ancestors in the wild, even if |
| hopes that they would control vermin (rats and | | | | today they are mostly used in homes as a cuddly |
| mice) in the home, barns and especially in the | | | | (well, I am cuddly, but don't tell my folks. I'll give |
| valuable grain storage containers. One of the | | | | them about 30 seconds and than I have to run |
| cultures that first seemed to accept, and even | | | | again and do my "chores"), loving pet (oh yes, I |
| revere cats were the ancient Egyptians (ah - the | | | | sure am loving...or so my mom tells me all the |
| good old days). Of course, the Egyptians used | | | | time, even if I don't want to hear it...purrh, purrh). |
| cats to hunt fish and birds, as well as control | | | | |