The cat as a pet. Some History

The cat as a pet. Some History

The cat as a pet. Since when?
Our cat is probably a cross between the African wild cat, the cat with our Nubian regions common European cat. The African cat was not only in Africa but in the entire area around the Mediterranean Sea. The European cat was more compact in stature and less elegant than the Nubian. Around the eighth century, the cat in Western Europe as pets for.

In the Middle East, the cat as roommate for much longer. A statue of a few thousand years old from Anatolia gives us to see a woman with a cat plays. Well before the beginning of our era was the pet cat already in Jericho. Also on wall paintings from ancient Egypt cats afgegeeld. There is a familiar image of an Egyptian papyrus that cuts. Birds fly out of the reeds, a cat jumps up there to catch em. In Jordan and Mesopotamia seems to have established the cat as a pet. On mozaÍekvloeren in ancient Rome are, among other reasons cats depicted.

In those ancient times, the cat was not primarily held for its beauty, elegance or domesticity, but from more practical reasons: cats, mice and rats were good catchers in the granaries.

In ancient Egypt the cat was a sacred animal. Around 3000 BC, the domestic cat are fully accepted. In all wills were sometimes amounts to the cat left. Well known is the story of the estate that are intended for their own cat food cat. In a woningbrand formed a cordon to the crowd once the cat to keep away from the fire, while in the burning building one old lady who was there left to her fate. Cats were often mummified. Many examples exist in museums. The story goes that cats were the only living creatures, except that the priest-in-the holy of holies of the Temple were allowed. To them it had to provide access to the outside cat enclosures made so that the sacred animals could freely in and out. Over time, the most sacred spaces allerverschrikkelijkst stank: the cats were there without their need someone who cleared the mess. The stench of the Temple was proverbial. Our word ammonia, the stench of the temples of Amun, it would have been borrowed. The moon goddess Bastet was depicted with a cat face. In honor of her (or the cat?) Was a complete cat decorated city. There are large grave fields with mummified cats found.
On the killing of a cat in ancient Egypt was not swelled the death penalty. If a domestic cat was dead, the family went into mourning, the hair was shaved off and the nails were cut.

Persian soldiers were in the fight against the Egyptians grateful abuse of the sanctity of the cat, a cat in their arms to bear if they were going to the Egyptian army. The Egyptians dared not shoot because they were afraid the cat to injure or kill.

Mohammed said several centuries after Christ the pet cat. That has contributed to the spread of the domestic cat, well into India again.

In our region would be around the beging of our era by the goddess Freya raging in the sky a car that was pulled by cats. As Christianity take hold here, was with the elements of paganism were thinking guaw done. The cat was banished to the section paganism and superstition and went symbolize evil practices.

Very striking is that the Bible nowhere prevents the cat

The cat and the superstition
The cat, black cat in particular, became a symbol for everything that had to do with shady business. The poor animal would play a major role in tovernarij, witchcraft and heresy. Of course you must then get rid of such an animal and as cruel as possible. So were cats on the day of St. John in the northern city of Metz in France rounded up and burned dozens simultaneously. In Ieper (Belgium) was the "cats Wednesday. On the second Wednesday of Lent were, since the year 1000, cats thrown there from the highest tower. This phenomenon is in Ieper on the second Sunday in May is celebrated every year during the so-called cat parade.

In the Middle Ages was an old woman living alone who happen one cat had her life not sure. Often they were accused of witchcraft, which the cat had to provide the definitive evidence. Often thought that the witch in the shape of the cat overnight demolition by the village to search for victims.

Also thought that cats could transmit deadly diseases, the teeth of the animal would be toxic: a cat would bite so people can make sick, even fatal injuries. Cats Haren had a swallow immediate death. Cats Breath would affect people's lungs and can cause fuck. Do not think the fantasies of ignorant people were not so long ago these things were written scientific papers.

It is also not so long ago that the terrible habit was abolished for a live cat in the foundation of a new house in bricklaying. This could be seen as a sacrifice to the gods for the future occupants of the house to ensure prosperity and happiness.

Do not think that all superstitions about cats of the past. Even now there are people who claim that three-colored calico cat protects a house against fire. It is also very scary for a black cat to come, especially on Friday and in the dark. Truly creepy as it is such a meeting takes place on Friday the thirteenth in the dark.

People and cats
You love your cat or you do not like the cat. A middle way is actually not. A nice bit of psychology: people with a dominant nature, cats would not really charmed. It is known that Alexander the Great, Napoleon and Hitler a great dislike to cats hadden.Een dog is because his own way and refuses to submit to men. Then you just dictator and not tolerate contradiction.

It is like we in the introduction to this article remarked: do not think you're the boss of the cat. The cat is his own boss and the boss about his "master".