In a world where some would argue that comparing cats and dogs is like trying to choose between apples and oranges, there’s one place where one of these creatures was far superior to the other - Ancient Egypt. Egyptians were known for their love of cats, however, just how far that love went might surprise you. 

Just how special were they?

Cats were treated like royalty. In wealthy households, they would be dressed in jewels and fed the absolute best of foods.

Their love of cats was further shown when they died as they would be mummified and buried in sacred receptacles. Mummification was an expensive procedure and most people couldn’t afford to get themselves mummified - let alone an animal.

To take it even further, the owners of the cat would then shave off their eyebrows as a sign of deep mourning and would only discontinue mourning when their eyebrows had fully grown back. 

Why were they worshipped? 

The immense love Egyptians had for cats originally stemmed from the goddess Bastet. This goddess who was half-cat and half-human was the goddess of home, fertility, and childbirth. She was so popular that some Egyptians would go as far as to call cats demi-gods. 

There was also a practical reason why they were worshipped. Cats could protect homes against unwanted pests and were praised for their hunting skills. Egyptians were in such awe of how cats hunted that they even took them on hunts when gathering food for their people. This also tied into Bastet once again as Bastet was also known to be a protector of the people. She had the ability to kill snakes, scorpions, and other vermin, just as cats could.

The status of cats in Ancient Egypt

Because of their link to gods and goddesses, there were many laws in place in regard to how cats were treated. During the peak of Bastet’s popularity, if one was to kill a cat, even if accidentally, they would be punished by death.

Their status continued even when they died. After they were mummified, it was forbidden to tamper with the cat mummy- this led to cat mummies being some of the most recovered mummies by archeologists.

Cats, the bringers of victory

An extreme case showing the complete devotion for cats in Ancient Egypt was the Battle of Pelusium. Cambyses II of Persia overcame Egyptian Pharaoh Psametik III’s forces by using the Egyptian’s love of cats against them.

Cambyses II rounded up many animals, mainly cats, and sent his army out with them along with paintings of cats on their shields. This was a horrific sight to Egyptians as harming a cat was unforgivable, as well as an offence, and there was no way to get around it if they were going to have this war. So, with their moral drained by the enemy hiding by a wall of cats, the Egyptians surrendered.

If you’re looking to find out more about Egyptian cats - specifically how they looked, check out Cats In Ancient Egypt Didn't Look The Way You Think

Spela Sraka

Spela is a second-year student in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College. She enjoys writing very much, however, she also finds amusement in drawing, video editing, and gaming.