Cats played an important role in ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptians believed that cats protected their life, and they took cats as pets. The popularity of Egyptian cats is found in the many ancient Egyptian paintings and carved stone statues.
Cats and Egypt share a long and interesting history. Many cat experts believe that ancient Egyptians were the first to keep cats at home. At first, it was a practical matter as cats were brought in to protect homes from pests like rats and cockroaches. Eventually though, ancient Egyptians; especially the wealthy, started to adopt cats as pets.
Paintings on tombs and other buildings show spotted, slender cats, which are believed to be the first domestic cats. It is believed that these early Egyptian cats were the ancestors of the Egyptian Mau. This kind is not as well-known as other cat kinds.
Whoever killed a cat in ancient Egypt was put to death. Amazingly there were also laws preventing the exportation of cats. Ancient Egyptians loved cats and were very sad whenever any of the family cats died. Cats were kept and even mummified after death. Cat tombs have been discovered along the River Nile and cat mummies can be found in the tombs of many Egyptians.
Nowadays, cats are part of the homes of many people around the world. People love their company. Some can't live without having cats as friends. They take good care of them by providing food and taking them to doctors when necessary.
