Cats as Pets

Cats have had a mixed history, including being associated with magic, superstition and bad luck like the well-known saying, "don't let a black cat cross your path."

However, there is a more positive side of cat history. It includes an Italian legend of a cat whose kittens were born in the stable at the time of Jesus' Birth. Their descendents all have crosses on their backs. Saint Gertrude of Nivelles is often depicted with a cat and she is the patron saint of cats, gardeners, travelers and widows. In fact, Saint Gertrude isn't the only saint to be pictured with cats. Saint Agatha is known as Santo Gato (Saint Cat) in southwestern France. Cats were the traditional companions of philosophers. Saint Jerome is one of them, often appearing with a cat instead of a lion.

The Ancient Egyptians are believed to have first domesticated the cat, and from then on, cats caught on everywhere as pets. Egyptian cats kept their homes mouse free, they were worshipped as sacred when alive, and entombed in fancy mummy cases after their death. Cats were valued so much that when they died, the household went into mourning and the head of the house shaved his eyebrows off as a sign of their grief. If there was a fire, the cat would be the first to be rescued.

Other countries were aware of this Egyptian worship of the cat. There is a story of a battle between Egypt and Persia in 525 B.C. where the Persian commander stationed cats in his front line. The Egyptians refused to attack because they feared hurting the cats, so they lost the battle.

The export of cats was forbidden by Egyptians, however, Phoenician traders smuggled cats abroad and they reached Greece.

Rome would be the next country to take cats into their household. The Roman army carried cats with them through Gaul and eventually crossed the ocean to Great Britain where there were used as pest control. Roman colonial families had pet cats. Cats had a special place in the Islam world.

Mohammed had a cat, Muezza. It is reported that on one occasion he cut off the sleeve of his robe rather than disturb Muezza's sleep.

In India, Buddhist monks employed cats as guards for their temples.

Cats were introduced from China to Japan in medieval times where they were used to protect silkworm cocoons from rats. The cat in Japan also had a close relationship with the silk industry, where farms were infested with mice.

However, it became fashionable in 1000 A.D. to keep house cats, and cats left the farms to enjoy a more pampered life.

The Emperor realized that silk farms were being ruined with mice, and he ordered that the house cats return to the farms.

Cats were known for their role as vermin hunters.