Cats appear to be inscrutable and are nocturnal creatures. Cat was revered in ancient Egypt and by the early Christians. Cats Persecuted as Familiars relates how the church treated these animals, who were, in the Middle Ages, an anathema in Europe.
History and Nature of the Cat
Cats were among the last animals to be domesticated, but it wasn’t until ancient people began to live in towns that this happened. The wild ancestors of domestic cats were attracted to settlements because of the population of mice, rats and birds and scraps of food people discarded. People quickly learned that these animals hunted unwanted rodents and ate the discarded food that attracted vermin.
Cats were so sacred to the Egyptians that King Cambyses of Persia used felines to defeat them. His warriors attached cats to the front of their shields and catapulted them into walled fortresses.
Cats are independent and appear aloof, yet, when they’re in the mood, can be very affectionate. They’re curious, but wary. Domestic cats, small wild cats and panthers are both predator and prey. Cats are hunted by larger carnivores and great predatory birds. Panthers are prey to hyenas and lions.
Domestic cats didn’t exist in North America until European explorers brought them to this continent. Felines were valued on ships because they helped control rat populations. Ships’ manifests mention cats being aboard and, some, how many. Seamen believed these animals brought luck to their vessels.
The domestic cat is considered to be the most dangerous of the feline family because it is the only one who kills prey for the sake of the hunt, not just for food. Barn cats kill more vermin when they are well fed.
Symbolism of the Cat
Cat represents guardianship, sensuality and detachment. Cat bestows the talent to quietly observe situations without bias before making decisions, knowing all have a right to understand and judge important events for them when the time is right.
She is the merging of the spiritual and physical; the psychic and sensual.
Cat is symbolic of independence, reincarnation, balance, psychicism, magick and mystery. She represents wisdom. One tribe called owls cats with wings. Self-assured, she’s a strong protector, especially in confrontational situations. The zenith of her power is the night and she’s been called a child of the Moon.
Cat Lore
- A black cat crossing the path of a person is bad luck.
- Cats can predict weather and earthquakes. Seamen on sailing ships believed if a cat was put under a pot on the deck, wind would be raised. A cat’s sneeze is a sign of rain. There is scientific evidence to validate they can predict earthquakes.
- Victorians used cats in divination by concentrating on a question. If one came into the room, leading with the right foreleg, the answer was yes.
- If a stray cat comes to a home, money should follow.
- When a black cat crosses a road, the next person passing by is granted a wish.
- Wearing an amulet with a cat on it protects travelers.
Articles Related to Cat Symbolism and Cats
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Sources:
Animal Speak, Ted Andrews(Llewellyn Publications, 2002)
Animal Magick, D. J. Conway (Llewellyn Publications, 1996)
Catlore, Desmond Morris, (Jonathan Cape Ltd, 1987)
The Druid Animal Oracle, Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm (Fireside,1994)
The Kingdom of the Cats, Roni Jay (Firefly Books, 2000)
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