Proof That Cats Have Been Running the World Since 950 BCE

If you think your cat’s attitude screams “divine ruler,” you’re not imagining it. In ancient Egypt, that kind of drama was practically holy. Cats weren’t just pets, they were sacred, spoiled, and occasionally worshipped. Basically, furry celebrities with fanbases bigger than the Pharaoh’s.

Picture it: the year is 950 BCE. The temple of Bastet in Bubastis is buzzing. Incense fills the air, musicians play, and people parade through the streets carrying baskets of cats like prized treasures. Priests chant blessings while sleek felines lounge nearby, soaking up the attention like the divas they are. This was a culture that didn’t just adore cats, it set the global standard for crazy cat people three thousand years early.

The Day a Cat Stopped a War

A famous tale from the Battle of Pelusium (525 BCE) claims the invading Persian army carried cats on their shields, knowing Egyptians would hesitate to attack. Whether that story is true or exaggerated, it captures the point perfectly: cats were untouchable, revered protectors linked to the gods.

The Goddess Behind the Purr

At the heart of this devotion was Bastet, the Egyptian goddess of home, fertility, and protection. She was often depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness or domestic cat. Egyptians believed she guarded families from disease and evil spirits, and that every cat carried a spark of her divine presence. Keeping a cat was thought to bring harmony, good fortune, and Bastet’s blessing.

Mourning with Shaved Eyebrows

The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that killing a cat, even by accident, was punishable by death. When a family cat died, every member of the household shaved their eyebrows in mourning. Archaeologists have discovered thousands of mummified cats at sites like Bubastis and Saqqara, wrapped in linen and buried with offerings of milk, toys, and jewelry. Their afterlife was as pampered as their earthly one.

So yes — people really did shave their eyebrows for their cats. And honestly, given how much control our feline overlords still have over our sleep schedules, sofas, and hearts, maybe things haven’t changed that much.

From Temples to TikTok

Today, cats might not have temples, but they still have worshippers. They’ve traded pyramids for cardboard boxes, priests for personal assistants, and hieroglyphs for hashtags.

So next time your cat ignores you, steals your chair, or knocks your glass off the table for fun, remember: you’re not being disrespected, you’re taking part in a four-thousand-year-old tradition of feline devotion.

Statuette of a Standing Bastet, Late Period Egypt (664–332 BCE). Bronze with gold and silver inlay. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. Image courtesy of The Walters Art Museum, public domain via Wikimedia Commons

By Cosmo the Cat

Purr-anormal & History Investigator

Smart, resourceful, and slightly spooky, Cosmo uncovers cat mysteries from ancient Egypt to your living room. When he’s not chasing ghosts, he’s probably staring at one.

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