How many lives do cats have? History and facts

What do we know about cats? This small animal, as long as the history of the world remembers itself, is always near the person. Over the centuries, cats had to endure much. Some loved them, others hated and even feared. There were times when the animal was considered sacred, worshiped, worshiped. However, later cats were destroyed and subjected to executions, along with witches. Why did our fluffy friends receive such attention? How did they manage to "go dry" out of the water for millennia? How many lives do cats have? Maybe there are several of them?

How many lives do cats have? Ancient Egypt

Few where the cats were as exalted 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 associated with them was deified. In honor of these furry creatures, luxurious temples were erected, their bodies mummified after death, and funerals were 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 tells that the Egyptian god of the sun Ra, descending to earth, could take a cat's appearance. It was he who bestowed a nine-year-old mustachioed with a hunt for the fact that she faithfully served the Pharaohs and guarded them.

But this Egyptian legends do not end there. Some associate the cat's nine lives with Ennead - a group of the first and most important Egyptian gods, which numbered nine. Apparently, one life from each of them and received a small predator.

Cats during the Inquisition

This era has become truly the most terrible page in the history of the relationship between a cat and a person. In the eyes of the churchmen, this animal suited the role of the devil's devotee as it led a nocturnal life, shone with eyes in the dark and walked by itself. What was there to say about the black cats who were considered to be the embodiment of Satan himself?

A woman who kept such an animal at home was unequivocally recognized as a witch and was to be burned at the stake along with her pet.

In the Middle Ages it was believed that the witch is able to take the appearance of a cat. In this form, she could penetrate with malice into the homes of righteous people. Killing, the witch again took her true form. It was believed that for her life she could have done such witchcraft 9 times. Was this the origin of our legend?

Cat and Russian legends

Every person is familiar with the expression "beyond the world's ends" and in the "far-off kingdom". It is clear that these phrases do not have a specific subtext, but simply mean "very far." It is possible that the "nine lives" of a cat also do not reflect the exact number, but the concept of "very much" or "without counting."

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, considered a protector of the house from evil. However, it is impossible to learn how many lives a cat has on Russian stories, since this is not mentioned anywhere. But in the dictionary of Dal about the pet's favorite you can find the following information: "The ninth death cat catches, she survives."

How many lives do cats have? Data

Of course, a cute mustachioed pussy, like a man, has only one life. However, his unusual vitality often leads to a reverse thought.

When falling from a huge height, cats often get rid of only "a slight fright." In general, this animal, thanks to its physique and unique sense of balance, seemed to be created for the falls. When flying from a height, the cat takes the most appropriate position in advance. First, it tries to slow down the fall as much as possible by building a kind of parachute from its body, and at the time of landing it places its feet so that the effect of depreciation is obtained. In this case, the mustachioed beauty must stand on all four limbs, which will enable her to evenly distribute the body weight. It should be noted that light weight and flexible joints allow this animal to significantly reduce the risk of fractures that can occur when falling from a height.

Perhaps, it is this ability, inaccessible to other mammals, that makes people think that the cat has 9 lives. In addition, the furry creature has many other mysterious talents. Among them is the most common.

Self-medication with rumbling. Scientists, after studying the sound produced by the cat, came to the conclusion that its range positively affects the human body and promotes the restoration of damaged tissues.

High immunity and regeneration. Cats are practically not prone to diseases, and many minor injuries they manage to so "lick", so that they grow up literally before our eyes.

Caution and prudence. In most cases, the cat tries to avoid dangerous for her and surrounding situations, preferring to retreat or climb higher on the tree to wait.

And what about other countries?

Interestingly, different peoples have allocated for their cats a different number of lives. Thus, in Russia and in the United States it is believed that the animal has nine (lives), while in Southern Europe and Germany - only seven. The Arab countries cut their number to six. So how many cats have lives in fact? This question people have been asking for more than one century.

It does not matter how many lives a cat has, 7 or 9, the main thing is not to risk your pet to check out these myths. After all, however, the life of our lesser brothers is very valuable, and it depends entirely on the actions of man.