| The first appearance of the domesticated cat | | | | due to its high status that lasted for about 2,000 |
| according to original reports goes back as far as | | | | years. People in Egypt used to revere Bastet the cat |
| 8,000 years ago. According to findings, during that | | | | goddess. Bastet had the head of a cat and the body |
| era, bones of mice, humans and cats were buried | | | | of a female. Bastet was related with motherliness, |
| mutually on the isle of Cyprus. Apparently, people | | | | elegance, beauty and fertility. In olden Egypt, people |
| then brought together with them the mice, which | | | | used to call a cat as a "Mau" resembling "meow" a |
| were unwanted, and the cats to Cyprus. | | | | common cat word. |
| Domestication Of Cats: | | | | There was a severe punishment for people who |
| Agriculture was not only the main occupation of the | | | | harmed or killed cats during the sovereignty of the |
| Egyptians, but also of the southwestern Asian | | | | Pharaohs. If a house was ablaze, it was imperative |
| primitives and folks of Africa, where cats appeared | | | | for the humans to think first about the cats. If the |
| afterwards. Since harvesting crops was possible only | | | | death of a cat was due to natural factors, then it |
| once or twice every year, it became difficult to store | | | | was mandatory for the entire family to go into |
| the food-eating grains. The entry of mice, rats and | | | | detailed mourning with beating of chests and |
| other pests only added to the difficulty. | | | | recitation of slogans as an indication of pain. |
| Soon people observed that the cat population ate | | | | It was necessary to wrap the cat's body in linen, and |
| the rodents that destroy the food grains. | | | | inspection was compulsory to ascertain that the cat's |
| People invited cats into their daily lives very | | | | death was natural. Tombs of cats also had mouse |
| courteously after observing cats hunting rodents. | | | | mummies to ensure enough food for their next |
| Farmers used fish-heads, milk and bread and | | | | journey. Soon cats sailed to countries like India, |
| additional food scraps to attract and sway cats to | | | | Japan, China, Italy and Greece. |
| hover around their homes. As a result, cats merely | | | | Other Historical Facts: |
| discovered an environmental place for themselves, a | | | | People used to torture and sacrifice cats in sacred |
| stable source of love, affection and food from | | | | rituals during the medieval ages. People regarded and |
| human beings. | | | | scorned cats as Satan's members. Individuals |
| People remember cats for their illustrious position in | | | | considered black cats as a bad omen. |
| history. Cats and Egyptians shared a unique | | | | Due to the persecution of cats the number of |
| relationship. Egyptians possessed different varieties of | | | | rodents increased, plague arose and devastated life. |
| animals like pigs, sheep, cattle, fowls and monkeys in | | | | It was then that cats received appreciation and they |
| ancient times. Cats, however unreservedly roamed | | | | once again gained popularity by the eighteenth |
| the area according to its will. | | | | century. |
| Protection of Cats: | | | | Cats became extremely popular in the nineteenth |
| Egypt established laws to protect and safeguard | | | | century and cat exhibitions of various pedigrees |
| cats, since people had a very high regard about | | | | began towards the ending of nineteenth century. |
| them. A sacred order of cat reverence developed | | | | |