If you have seen the paintings of ancient Egyptians, you may have noticed the strong features of cats in their works of art. When archaeologists discovered some parts of Egypt, they even found the earliest known pet cemetery, which dates back to 3800 BC.

Although it is not known when the Egyptians first domesticated cats, scientists and historians have found countless mummies of cats in their ancient cemeteries. These cats have been hidden there since the Pharaoh ruled the Nile, many of them wearing complex beads and iron collars. The discovery of the cat cemetery is just one example of the importance that Egyptians attached to cats. Another example comes from the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who claimed that when a domestic cat died, Egyptians would shave their eyebrows as a sign of respect. So why were the ancient Egyptians so obsessed with cats?

According to the survey, the ancient Egyptians' love for cats is related to their beliefs. They believed that their rulers and gods had many of the same qualities as cats, both physically and emotionally. The Egyptians also believed that cats had two desirable qualities. On the one hand, cats are fierce, independent, and antagonistic. However, on the other hand, they have the qualities of nurturing, loyalty, and protection. Because of these characteristics, the ancient Egyptians believed that cats were special creatures.

Although this may explain why the ancient Egyptians built the cat shaped statue, it does not necessarily explain why they took great pains to build the Giza Sphinx, a 240-foot-long monument that prides itself on the fact that the lion has a human head. Similarly, it is not known why the Egyptians depicted many of their goddesses as parts of the body with cats. One example is Sahmit, a patron saint. Sahmit is depicted as the reverse of the Giza Sphinx because she has a woman's body and a lion's head. Another Egyptian goddess, bast, is often depicted as a lion or cat because they believe that cats are sacred to the goddess.

The fascination with cats is not only related to the beliefs of ancient Egyptians, because they also had practical uses for cats. Like modern domestic cats and wild cats, ancient Egyptian cats were excellent hunters. Therefore, many people raise them for their hunting ability. Cats are a good way to kill mice, snakes, and other small animals. Therefore, many families in ancient Egypt kept a cat at home. According to a study by the University of London, many Egyptians like their cats very much. They give their children nicknames related to cats. For example, there is evidence that many little girls have a nickname "mitti", which means ancient Egyptian cat.