Recently, I watched a few cat videos on my social media account and even liked a couple of them. Maybe it was because I have a cat, so it was only natural, but AI picked up on that and the algorithm shifted. Suddenly, my feed was flooded with everything related to cats: cat food, funny cats, evil cats, notorious cats, etc. And that’s when I realised this cute little furry creature is much more than just a stray or a pet — it’s intelligent, wise and incredibly observant. I observed every movement of its eyes, the way it responded to my calls, my questions, etc.

Those who own a cat will definitely relate to everything I’m about to share. But all those thinking about adopting one, read on. You need to be ‘well prepared’, because what you’re about to adopt is not just a pet — it’s a creature that’s probably planning to adopt ‘you’!

Let’s go back a few centuries to understand how this cutie had a special place in history.

During the ancient Egyptian era, cats were seen as divine beings. People deeply respected them and thought harming a cat could bring bad luck. At the same time, the goddess Bastet, half-human, half-cat was worshipped as the goddess of home, fertility and protection.

Fast forward to medieval Europe, cats, especially the black ones, were regarded as symbols of black magic, evil and were thought to be cursed. They were linked to witches and blamed for all kinds of bad luck, plagues, curses and much more.

By the 18th century, the bad luck tag was still on them, yet sailors started taking cats along on their sea voyages, not just as a comfort pet, but primarily as rat hunters, who kept ships clean and saved food supplies from rats.

In Japanese folklore, cats are still........

© Dawn Young Magazine