History. There were two main breeds of cat native to ancient Egypt. The jungle cat (Felis chaus) and the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica). The latter had a calmer temperament and so was more commonly domesticated than its wilder relative.
Did Egyptians have big cats?
The Ancient Egyptians were familiar with a variety of indigenous cats, big and small. North Africa and the Near East were home to different species of the lion while south of Egypt there were leopards and cheetahs. The African wild cat could be found living in the deserts and marshes.
Did Egyptians worship big cats?
But Egyptians did not worship felines. Rather, they believed these 'feline' deities shared certain character traits with the animals. Bastet is probably the best-known feline goddess from Egypt. Initially depicted as a lioness, Bastet assumed the image of a cat or a feline-headed woman in the 2nd millennium BCE.
What were the cats of Egypt?
Although according to another theory cats in ancient Egypt were an offshoot of the native African wildcat Felis silvestris lybica, “domesticated” by local farmers. Ancient Egyptian life depended on the flooding of the Nile, which provided the arable land necessary for the growth of civilization.
What did the cats look like in ancient Egypt?
The scientific findings were bolstered by a study of not only Egyptian paintings, but depictions of cats from many different cultures. This work found that throughout the ancient world “cats' coats were mainly depicted as striped, corresponding to the mackerel-tabby pattern of the wild Felis silvestris lybica.”
More useful articles on a similar topic 👇
What animals were alive during ancient Egypt?Did ancient Egypt Have lions?
