About

Since at least 2100 BCE, in ancient Egypt, we, domestic cats, were revered as divine beings. Our presence was so sacred that when one of us passed away, the household would mourn by shaving their eyebrows—a visible mark of grief and reverence.

​

In Egypt, the cat was not just an animal; it was a guardian of the home and a symbol of grace and protection. The goddess Bastet, depicted with the head of a feline, was the protector of homes, mothers, and children. She was a gentle yet powerful deity, ensuring harmony and safeguarding dwellings from intruders—whether rodents, insects, snakes, scorpions, or other unseen threats.

​

Some cats were considered incarnations of Bastet herself and were treated with the highest honor. The city of Bubastis, in the eastern Nile Delta, became the center of her veneration. Its renowned Per Bast ("House of Bastet") temple stood as a sacred space where her mysteries were revealed. Egyptian physicians even used the black cat symbol to certify their healing abilities, a testament to the cat’s association with well-being and mystical power.

​

When the Libyan kings of the 22nd Dynasty (c. 944 BCE) made Bubastis their capital, the cult of Bastet flourished, spreading far beyond the Nile.

​

​

The Cat – A Symbol Through Time

 

The cat’s symbolism transcends cultures and civilizations:

​

• Egyptian Mythology: Bastet (also called Bast, Ubasti, Ba-en-Aset, or Ailuros) was a solar deity, a goddess of fertility, and a protector of expectant mothers. She was believed to wield power over solar eclipses and cosmic cycles.

• Greek Influence: When the Greeks arrived in Egypt, they associated Bastet with Artemis, transforming her from a solar to a lunar goddess.

• Kabbalah & Buddhism: The cat embodies wisdom, prudence, and vitality.

• Japanese Folklore: Cats were thought to attract misfortune and carried an aura of mystery.

• Celtic Tradition: Cats were believed to have nine lives, a testament to their resilience.

• Medieval Europe: By the Middle Ages, this number was reduced to seven lives, and cats became entwined with the world of magic and the unseen. Black male cats, in particular, were falsely feared as the embodiment of dark forces.

 

Despite changing perceptions over time, one truth remains: the cat walks between worlds, a bridge between the known and the mysterious, a guardian of wisdom, and a keeper of secrets.