Why Did Ancient Egyptians Worship Cats?

Ancient Egyptians were deeply devoted to their cats and worshipped them for two main reasons. For starters, they helped protect agricultural produce from rodents who would feed on different harvests, thereby spoiling them. Secondly, many cat goddesses were worshipped by humans, as they were said to bring fertility and good fortune to households.

When you think of Egypt or the natives of this region, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? The ancient pyramids? Egyptian paintings? The Sphinx? Cleopatra? All amazing inventions, of course, but for me, the first thing that pops into my head is cats!

When they began marching towards the city of Pelusium, several cats led the way, while the rest were held in the arms of Persian soldiers. The Egyptians were so reluctant to engage in battle, due to the fear of harming cats, that they surrendered to defeat and let the Egyptian kingdom be conquered by Persians.

Similarly, many laws were in place to protect cats during ancient times. For instance, if a person were to kill a cat, even by accident, the penalty would be death. It was also illegal to trade and export cats to other countries. When cats died, they would be mummified and their owners would leave food for them. Sometimes, cats were even buried along with their owners to show how much they loved their beloved pets.

So, now you know why Egyptians loved their cats so much! Next time you see one on the street, you may want to treat it with a bit more respect, just like ancient civilizations were doing thousands of years ago!