Background Cats

Several thousand years before the alleged birth of Christ, cats had started domesticating themselves. Humans appreciated their company back then because they kept rodents away and even today, cats are seen as beloved pets.

Matthew stared at the computer screen for a while, before deleting the paragraph he had just written. A deep sigh escaped his throat. This wasn’t right. If he began the article like this, everybody would stop reading immediately. He needed a different angle. He needed people to know.

Cats are everywhere, and I don’t only mean places but also history. Many are familiar with the worship of cats in ancient Egypt. When a cat died, the whole family shaved their eyebrows in mourning and the murder of a cat was punishable by death. But the Egyptians weren’t the only ones to worship those furry animals.

In several religions and mythologies, cats have their own place. Shashti, a Hindu goddess, is depicted as riding on a cat. This is very similar to the Nordic goddess Freya, whose chariot was said to be drawn by cats. In Persia there was a tale about how cats were created from magic.

It is kind of surprising that, after being seen as something positive, magical, even godly, the catholic church proclaimed them as evil in 1348, which led to the killing of thousands of cats in Europe. Some people say that the lack of cats might have been one cause for the Bubonic Plague.

With a small jump, Matthew’s cat Cleopatra landed on his lap and started purring and demanding attention. Carefully, Matthew stroked her fur.

“I am writing, I am writing”, he told her. “They will soon all know, I promise. No need to rush me. I just need some room to write.” The cat seemed satisfied with that and left his lap again, to lie down next to the keyboard. Her eyes were focused on Matthew as he continued writing.

Luckily, the demonization of cats ended after a while and people started appreciating them again. Since 1515, there is the title of Chief mouser to the Cabinet which is reserved for a cat living in Downing Street.

Trim the cat traveled the globe on a ship during the years of 1799 to 1804, but he wasn’t the only cat with an affinity to the ocean. Unsinkable Sam made his home first in the Nazi fleet and then in the Royal Navy. All three ships he lived on sank, but he was luckily able to survive. A coincidence, as most people assumed.

When Félicette was launched into space in October 1963, she was the first cat to be there. This way, she continued the legacy of traveling cats.

But not all feline celebrities are personalities of the past. Hank the Cat, who died as recently as 2014, ran for a US Senate seat in Virginia. Despite receiving an estimated 9000 votes, he was not able to enter office.

If you, dear reader, now look back at human history, you’ll notice that human history has always been feline history. Cats have been there when we spread over the world. They’ve shaped our religions and took place in our governments.

It is time that we acknowledge this more. We need to stop treating cats as pets and instead give them the place in society they deserve. Let Hank not be the last cat to candidate for a political position. The future of humanity can’t exist without us working together closely with our feline friends.

Rubbing his eyes, Matthew leaned back in his chair. Cleopatra meowed at him.

“I’m done”, he said. “Look for yourself. Are you happy?”

Cleopatra stood up, stretched and then positioned herself in front of the display. She remained still for a bit, then turned around to Matthew.

“That will do just fine”, she purred.

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Sources:

Cats Domesticated Themselves, Ancient DNA Shows
Cats in the Ancient World
Hank the Cat
Churchill’s Cats
Chief mouser to the Cabinet Office
Trim: The Story Of A Brave, Seafaring Cat
Unsinkable Sam
First Cat in Space

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This story was requested by @apsu and is not meant to be as scientific as the usual ones.
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