What do we know about cats? This small animal, as far as the history of the world remembers itself, is always next to a person. Over the centuries, cats had to go through a lot. Some loved them, others hated and were even afraid. There were times when the animal was considered sacred, it was idolized, worshiped. However, cats were later destroyed and executed, along with witches. Why did our furry friends receive such attention? How did they manage to "get dry" out of the water of millennia? How many cats have lives? Maybe there really are several of them?
How many cats have lives? Ancient Egypt
In few places, cats were extolled as high as in ancient Egypt. Perhaps this was the most golden time in cat history. For the Egyptians, cats were considered sacred animals, and everything that was connected with them was deified. Luxurious temples were erected in honor of these furry creatures, their bodies were mummified after death, and the funeral was held with great honors. The goddess Bastet, the patroness of fertility, love, fun and other blessings, was portrayed as a woman with a cat's head.
One of the legends says that the Egyptian sun god Ra, going down to earth, could take on a cat-like appearance. It was he who bestowed the mustachioed hunter with nine lives for the fact that she faithfully served the pharaohs and guarded them.
But Egyptian legends do not end there. Some associate feline 9 lives with Enneada, the group of the first and most important Egyptian gods, of whom there were nine. Apparently, a small predator received one life from each of them.
Cats during the Inquisition
This era has become truly the most creepy page in the history of relations between cats and humans. In the eyes of the churchmen, this animal was the best suited for the role of the devil's henchman, since it led a nocturnal lifestyle, shone its eyes in the dark, and walked on its own. What can we say about the black cats, which were considered the embodiment of Satan himself?
The woman who kept such an animal at home was unequivocally recognized as a sorceress and was to be burned at the stake along with her pet.
In the Middle Ages, it was believed that a witch was able to take the form of a cat. In this form, she could penetrate with evil intent into the homes of righteous people. Dying, the witch again took its true form. It was believed that in her life she could do such witchcraft 9 times. Is not our legend originating from here?
Cat and Russian traditions
Every person is familiar with the expression "for the distant lands" and in the "distant kingdom". It is clear that these phrases do not have a specific subtext, but simply mean "very far". It is possible that the cat’s “nine lives” also reflect not the exact amount, but the concept of “very much” or “without count”.
In Slavic mythology, a cat is a favorite character of folk tales, proverbs and beliefs. She was always a pet, she was respected and respected, she was considered the protector of the house from evil. However, to learn about how many lives a cat has, according to Russian stories, it will not work, because this is not mentioned anywhere. But in the Dahl dictionary about a pet, you can find the following information: "The cat is the ninth death pestering, it is tenacious."
How many cats have lives? Data
Of course, a cute mustachio fuzz, like a person, has only one life. However, its unusual survivability often leads to the opposite thought.
When falling from a great height, cats often get off with just a “slight fright”. In general, this animal, thanks to its physique and unique sense of balance, as if created for falls. When flying from a height, the cat assumes the most suitable position in advance. First, she tries to slow down the fall as much as possible, building a kind of parachute from her body, and at the moment of landing she places her paws so that an amortization effect is obtained. In this case, the mustachioed beauty will certainly stand on all four limbs, which will give her the opportunity to evenly distribute her body weight. It should be noted that light weight and flexible joints allow this animal to significantly reduce the risk of fractures that may occur when falling from a height.
Perhaps it is this ability, inaccessible to other mammals, that makes people think that a cat has 9 lives. In addition, the furry creature has many other mysterious talents. Among them, it is worth highlighting the most common.
Self-medication with rumbling. Scientists, having studied the sound made by the cat, came to the conclusion that its range has a positive effect on the human body and helps to restore damaged tissues.
High immunity and regeneration. Cats are practically not prone to diseases, and many small injuries they manage to “lick” in such a way, so that they grow literally before our eyes.
Caution and prudence. In most cases, the cat tries to avoid dangerous situations for her and the surrounding ones, preferring to retire or climb higher up the tree to wait.
