The Cat was a pet at least eight
thousand years ago because bones of cats, mice and humans
were found buried together on the ancient island of Cyprus. In
ancient Egypt, the cat was a pet at least five thousand
years ago. The cat was considered to be a sacred animal in
ancient Egypt. Cats are held sacred in Buddhism. Much appreciated
by the Buddhists was the capacity of cats for meditation which
they sensed in cats. The Birman cat descends from cats that
were venerated as gods in the Buddhist temples. The Buddhist
priests believed that the faithful returned to earth in the
form of a cat. In Burma, the Burmese cats are held to be
sacred. The Birman cat descends from cats that were venerated as
gods in the Buddhist temples. The Buddhist priests believed that
the faithful returned to earth in the form of a cat. In
Buddhism, it is believed that on the death of a person who had
reached the highest levels of spirituality the soul entered the
body of a cat. It remained there until the cat died, when the
soul entered paradise. Even today, in some Asiatic sanctuaries,
divine powers are attributed to the cat and it is believed
that in the hereafter the soul of cat speaks to Buddha in
favor of its owner that still lives on earth. Among the most
charming of Japanese cats is Maneki-Neko, a small cat believed
to ensure happiness and good luck. Japanese Buddhists venerate
cats after their death. The temple of Go – To – Ku – Ji in Tokyo
is dedicated to cats. Vested priests serve the temple and intone
chants for feline souls. Crowded into the temple are sculptures
paintings and relief carvings of cats. In each of these, the cat
has a paw raised as if in greeting, the classical pose of the
cat Maneki – Neko. Cats continue to be worshiped as deities in
countries such as Thailand and China. The power of cats to see
in the dark was also considered useful to hold evil spirits
at way, since it was usually thought that eyes of cat were
more active at night, the walls of many Asiatic houses were
adorned with images of cats. In England, a black cat sitting in
a house on a wedding day is thought to bring good luck. In
Thailand, a Diamond eyed cat is believed to be a symbol of
good luck. In South America, the Incas revered sacred cats,
representations of which can be seen in pre-Columbian Peruvian
artifacts. The earliest representations of domestic cat were
Egyptian tomb paintings and sculpture. By the 5th
century B.C., images of cats appeared on Greek coins, and later
they were depicted in Roman mosaics and paintings and on
earthenware, coins and shields. Cats have reputation for having
nine lives. Cats are very affectionate towards human beings. The
Siamese breed of cats are very affectionate towards people. Cats can
recognize footsteps of their owner from hundreds of feet away.
Cats are easy to care as compared to dogs. Outdoor cats bury
their faeces. Cats groom themselves with their saliva. The cats
tongue, saliva and paws help in grooming cats themselves. Cats
groom themselves about twenty times in a day. Kittens start
cleaning or grooming themselves at the age of one month. All
cats generally do not need bath. Cats are easiest to care out of
all domestic animals. Cats are most independent domestic animals.
Cats do not need care and attention. Cats are also small in
size. Cats also exercise themselves. Cats are most playful out of
all domestic animals. Kittens play themselves by batting and
tossing small objects, hunting and by jumping in and out of
boxes. Cats love to hide in cardboard boxes, drawer or laundry
basket. Kittens begin playing with toys at the age of four
weeks and their enjoyment becomes more elaborate as they grow.
Kittens that have free access to a terrace or garden will
amuse themselves by running after a butterfly, bug, insect or
leaf. Cats enjoy being stroked by their owner. Scientific studies
have shown that stroking a pet cat or kitten and playing with
a pet cat or kitten reduce stress and anxiety and lowers the
blood pressure of its owner. Cats can also learn to live with
other domestic pets. The fur of cats is soft and beautiful.
Cats are comfort – loving creatures, seemingly addicted to warmth
and luxury. Cats also seem to grow fond of their owners,
adopting them almost as parents. Cats are available in many coat
colours. Cats and kittens use litter boxes or toilet and unlike
dogs, cats do not need to be walked. Dogs are not able to use
litter box and toilet and dogs need to be walked. Kittens begin
using litter box at just five or six weeks age. The litter
boxes of cats should be filled with sand, regular clay, clumping
clay or wooden pallets. Childrens and adults both enjoy
playing with cats. Kittens should be domesticated at the age of
two months. The weight of a newborn kitten is about hundred
grams. Many cat magazines are published in the USA , UK, and
other countries each year. Cats have been portayed in the works
of many great artists including Leonardo Da Vinci, Albrecht Durer,
Paul Gauguin, Theodore Gericault, William Hogarth, Edouard Manet and
Pablo Picasso. Most cats like to become friendly with human
beings while few of them want to be left alone. Kittens are
most playful out of all domestic animals. All kittens play by
themselves by finding amusement or satisfaction with odd trinkets
or by jumping in and out of boxes, hunting and poking, batting
and tossing small objects. Kittens also exercise themselves.
Keeping cats as pets can bring cheerfulness and for the aged,
emotionally disturbed and prison population they bring about
amazing transformation. Cats can be lifesaver for their owner. A
cat of UK saved his owner’s life by signaling that the
gas cooker had been left on with his paw.A cat named Mourka
delivered vital messages from Russian scouts about the enemy’s
gun replacements. According to news published in newspaper, in
August 2000 cat named Jessie saved her owner Margaret Hayward’s
life by jumping up and down on her owner’s bed in order to
wake her when the home caught fire. A cat named Scarlett of New
York ran into a burning house five times in order to save
her kittens. Some cats can protect their owner from thieves. A
cat of UK actually alerted his owners to a real burglar by
running up and down the stairs hissing and growling. A cat
saved her kittens from a burning building.
Cats are thought to
protect humans from bad evils. Farmers and shopkeepers keep
cats to protect food grains from rats as well as to
prevent diseases like Plague which are spread by rats.
Butchers, bakers, grocers, bookstore owners as well as restaurant
owners and stationary store owners domesticate cats in order
to keep their premises free of rats and mice. Due to the lack
of cats, two thirds of the European human population died of
the Plague in the past. Cats have been credited with the the
ability to predict earthquakes. Cats can hear ultrasonic waves.
Cats and kittens are kittens are very photogenic and can be
easily be used to advertise any product like greeting cards,
milk products, candy boxes, calendars, toys and food. Cats sense of
hearing is one of the highest in animal kingdom. Cats sense of
hearing is greater than human beings. The anatomy of cat is
very similar to human beings. Cats were even worshipped as
feline goddess Bast or feline goddess Bastet or feline goddess
Pasht in ancient Egypt for more than two thousand years. The
Feline goddess Bastet had body of a woman and head of a cat.
The goddess Bastet was associated with fertility, motherhood,
grace and beauty. It was believed that the goddess Bastet
controlled the fertility of man and beast, cured illness and
watched over the souls of the dead. The largest temple of
goddess Bastet was built in the ancient city of Bubastis about
4500 years ago. Aelurus, an Egyptian cat god, represented the moon.
In ancient Egypt, if a house caught fire, the rule went like this,
save pet cats first and humans second. In ancient Egypt, a
person killing a cat was punishable by death. In ancient Egypt,
after death of cats, they were mummified and decorated, some
with rock crystal. The dead bodies of cats were then wrapped
in rich bandages of various colours. The mummified rats and
saucers of milk were kept near cats. The faces of cats were
covered by masks on which the nose, eyes, ears and whiskers were
evident. The mummified cats were then placed in boxes made
of wood or bronze. These boxes were then placed in cat
tombs or pyramids. In ancient Egypt, the cat mummies outnumbered
human mummies. In an ancient capital city of Egypt, more than
300000 cat mummies were found in 1890. If a pet cat in
ancient Egypt died, then all the family members used to
shave their eyebrows. If a pet cat in ancient Egypt died, then
the entire family went into elaborate mourning with chanting
and pounding of chests as an outward sign of grief. When a
pet cat in ancient Egypt died, then all the family members used
to shave their eyebrows as sign of sorrow. The Egyptians
believed that divinities assumed the semblance of a cat, and so
the high prists decreed divine orders and omens of the future
according to its behaviour. The ancient Egyptians used cats not
only as hunters of mice but also as catchers of fish as well.
According to Roman Mythology, Diana the roman goddess of hunting
angered the giants by taking a cat form. Cats have the ability
to predict earthquakes. Cats have barometric sensitivity or sixth
sense. Cats can forewarn us of coming storm, coming rainfall and
change in atmosphere. There is a popular notion that states when
a cat licks its paw or puts it in its ear, it is a sign of
rain or change in atmosphere. Many myths and superstitions
are associated with cats. Some people thought that witches
could change themselves into cats. Some people believe that
a black cat crossing path of a person means bad luck. Some
people think that cats possess magical powers while some
people think cats as extraterrestrial creatures. Some people
think that cats have the ability to predict future. All cats
are believed to have nine lives. In parts of UK , a cat
washing its face with water is said to foretell rain. In
UK and Scotland, a black cat crossing path of a person
means good luck. White cats are thought to bring good
luck in USA. The famous cats in cartoon include Tom,
Garfield, Felix, Krazy cat, Top cat, Sylvester, Courageous
cat and Azrael.