Cats are amazing animals. Having a cat can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be challenging. Like every pet, a cat needs proper care and a lot of love. How good of a cat owner you are? Take the quiz we have here for you and check your knowledge about cats!
The cat is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal, valued by humans for its companionship and its ability to hunt vermin and household pests. It’s the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is often referred to as the domestic cat to distinguish it from the wild members of the family.
For a long time, it was believed that cats originated in Egypt some 4000 years ago. However, we now have DNA evidence showing that cats and humans have been living together for 12000 years. Analysis of the genetic makeup of 79 domestic cats and their ancestors around the world reveals that all domestic cats share a common offspring, the African wildcat Felis silvestris lybica or “cat of the woods”. In 2004, a cat was discovered buried with a human in a 9500-year-old neolithic grave in Cyprus.
Today, it’s believed that wildcats started living with humans in the Middle East’s Fertile Crescent. This is an area of fertile land along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The people who lived there settled into a life of agriculture—transitioning from being hunters and nomads to becoming farmers. Food stored by people attracted rodents and vermin, which in turn would draw in cats, interested in the abundant supply of rats and mice. From that, the relationship between humans and cats developed.
In ancient Egypt, cats eventually became godlike creatures that the Egyptians would worship. Cats were so revered that killing a cat was a crime punishable by death. It was also forbidden to export cats from the country. When a cat died during this era, it was mummified and buried in sanctified plots often with an ample supply of mummified mice for the afterlife. During the research, one of these sanctified plots was discovered and amazingly contained 300,000 mummified cats. The human-cat relationship was mutually beneficial: cats would come inside when it was hot, and in turn, they would chase away dangerous animals, like snakes and scorpions.
Scenes of ordinary life represented in paintings on the walls of tombs provide some insight into the role of cats in ancient Egyptian society. We can see cats laying or sitting below chairs, chasing birds, or playing. Archaeologists continue to find hieroglyphics, paintings, and carvings showing cats wearing lavish jewelry or occupying significant positions, demonstrating their significance to this ancient culture.
It wasn’t just ordinary Egyptian people who held cats in high esteem. Members of the Egyptian royal class dressed their cats in gold and let them eat from their plates. Pharaohs were commonly buried with cats, believing that they brought good luck and secured a safe journey into the afterlife.
Egyptians understood that cats were smart, quick, and powerful creatures. Sekhmet was a lioness goddess who was a warrior and protective deity, keeping at bay the enemies of the sun god Ra. She also kept away sickness and diseases. We can see that Egyptians saw cats as fierce protectors.
In ancient Egyptian art, cats are also often depicted sitting under women’s chairs, implying a connection to womanhood and perhaps also fertility. It could stem from the fact that cats tend to have multiple kittens in a litter.
From Egypt, the cat fever quickly spread to India, then to China and other Asian countries. Cats were still thought to be magical, and they became highly valued pets, valued for keeping the rodent population in check. Eventually, the Romans and the Greeks adopted the cat as a domestic animal. They weren’t worshipped anymore but kept as human companions, as well as useful rodent hunters.
Cats had a difficult time in the Middle Ages. They were commonly thought to have magical powers and were associated with witchcraft at the time. Cats were mistreated and were frequently killed and driven out of towns and villages. Because of these cat superstitions, medieval Europe’s cat population was on the verge of extinction. Some superstitions have survived history, and some people still believe that crossing paths with a black cat is a sign of bad luck.
It took until the 1600s for cats to stop being seen as the devil’s work. By that time, they already made their way to the New World. It is believed that Columbus brought cats with him to America, particularly the British Shorthair, which is rumored to be the ancestor of today’s very popular American Shorthair. Cats seemed to have taken a liking to the New World, where they thrived.
Cats sure have a long and fascinating history as a species. There is a lot to know about cats – do you think you can ace this cat lover quiz? Don’t waste any more time and get down to the questions! Don’t forget to share your results with your friends.