When Cats Ruled an Empire
Cats in Ancient Egypt and their Divine Status
In Ancient Egypt, cats were very important. People loved them a lot. They believed cats were magic and could protect their homes. Cats were friends with the goddess Bastet, who loved families and homes.
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If someone hurt a cat, they could be punished badly. People wanted cats in their homes to bring good luck and stop mice from eating food.
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When a cat died, people were very sad. Some people even shaved their eyebrows to show they were upset. Rich families made their cats into mummies and put jewellery on them.
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In a battle, enemies used cats to trick the Egyptians. They sent cats to the soldiers, and the soldiers did not want to fight because they loved cats so much.
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Today, we can still find old cat mummies and pictures of cats in Egypt. It shows how special cats were to the people.
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Vocabulary
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Important – Something that matters a lot.
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Loved – Cared about very much.
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Magic – Something that seems to have special powers.
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Protect – To keep safe.
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Punished – Made to feel bad or get in trouble for doing something wrong.
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Good luck – Something that helps make good things happen.
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Sad – Not happy; feeling bad.
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Upset – Unhappy or worried.
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Trick – To fool someone.
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Special – Different from others in a good way.
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Questions
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Which goddess liked cats?
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Why did people want cats in their homes?
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What did rich people do when their cat died?​​​​​
In Ancient Egypt, cats were much more than domestic companions; they held a sacred place within society. Linked closely with the goddess Bastet, cats symbolized home, fertility, and protection. Bastet was frequently depicted with the head of a cat, and Egyptians saw her attributes reflected in the animals themselves.
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Cats enjoyed high esteem and legal protections. To harm a cat was a serious offense, often punishable by death. People kept cats not just for their skill at catching mice, but for spiritual reasons too. Households believed that a cat’s presence invited divine blessings.
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Cats also played a role in religion and funerary customs. Families who lost a beloved cat might mourn publicly and have the cat embalmed, a sign of deep respect. Wealthier families even adorned their pets with jewelry.
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Ancient armies once exploited Egyptians’ devotion by releasing cats onto battlefields, knowing Egyptian soldiers would hesitate to strike. Such reverence shows how deeply cats were integrated into both daily life and national identity.
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Evidence of this reverence survives today. Archaeologists have unearthed mummified cats and artwork portraying them in temples and tombs. It’s clear that in Ancient Egypt, to love a cat was to embrace a creature seen as a bridge between the mortal world and the divine.
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Vocabulary
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Sacred – Connected to a god or religion and treated with great respect.
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Esteem – High respect or admiration.
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Embalmed – Treated a dead body with chemicals to preserve it.
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Reverence – A feeling of deep respect or awe.
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Funerary – Related to funerals or the burial of the dead.
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Attribute – A quality or feature of someone or something.
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Exploited – Used something (often unfairly) for one’s own benefit.
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Devotion – Strong love, loyalty, or dedication to something.
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Mortality – The state of being human and able to die.
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Unearthed – Discovered something hidden, especially by digging.
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Questions
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What goddess were cats associated with?
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What was one punishment for killing a cat?
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How did ancient armies use Egyptians’ love for cats?​​
Long ago in Ancient Egypt, cats were very special. People didn’t just keep them to catch mice. They believed cats had a connection to the gods, especially the goddess Bastet. She was the goddess of the home, family, and protection, and was often shown with the head of a cat.
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Cats had many rights. Hurting a cat could be punished by death. Egyptians thought that cats could bring good luck and protect their homes. This made cats some of the most loved animals in the country.
When a cat died, families showed their sadness in a big way. Sometimes they shaved their eyebrows or made a special mummy for the cat, just like they did for people. Rich families even gave their cats golden jewelry.
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Even enemies knew how important cats were to the Egyptians. In battles, they would send cats to the front lines, hoping Egyptian soldiers would not attack them.
​Today, we can still find mummies of cats and pictures of them in tombs and temples. It shows how important cats were in Egyptian life. They were more than pets; they were symbols of something greater.
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Vocabulary
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Special – Better, more important, or different from others.
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Connection – A link or relationship between things or people.
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Protection – Keeping something safe from harm.
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Rights – Things people or animals are allowed to have or do.
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Punished – Made to suffer for doing something wrong.
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Good luck – Something that brings success or fortune.
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Mummy – A body that has been preserved after death.
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Jewelry – Decorative objects people wear, like rings or necklaces.
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Attack – To try to hurt or damage someone or something.
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Symbols – Things that stand for or represent other ideas.
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Questions
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Which goddess were cats linked to?
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What happened if you hurt a cat?
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How did Egyptians show sadness when a cat died?​​​​​
In Ancient Egypt, cats were not merely household pets; they were divine beings, revered and celebrated throughout the empire. The cat embodied grace, poise, and mystery—qualities deeply admired by Egyptian society. Cats were associated with the goddess Bastet, a deity of home, fertility, and protection, often depicted as a lioness or as a woman with the head of a domestic cat.
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Their divine status granted them extraordinary privileges. Killing a cat, even accidentally, was punishable by death, a testament to their sacredness. Families often welcomed cats into their homes not only for companionship but also for spiritual protection and practical benefits, such as safeguarding grain stores by keeping rodent populations in check.
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Cats transcended mere utility; they occupied an esteemed place in religious practices. It was common to find statues and amulets fashioned in their likeness, placed in homes and temples alike. Upon a cat’s death, families would mourn as they would for human relatives, often shaving their eyebrows as a sign of grief and commissioning intricate mummifications for their cherished pets.
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Royal courts sometimes kept cats adorned with golden jewellery, further underscoring their divine connection. Moreover, armies were known to use the Egyptians' reverence for cats against them; enemies would deploy cats on the battlefield, knowing Egyptians would hesitate to fight for fear of harming the sacred animals.
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This profound respect endured for centuries, leaving an indelible mark on Egyptian culture. Archaeologists continue to discover cat cemeteries and artistic tributes, demonstrating just how entwined these graceful creatures were with notions of divinity, daily life, and afterlife beliefs.
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Today, echoes of that veneration persist, as cats still captivate human imagination with an aura of mystique that may very well have been first celebrated on the banks of the Nile thousands of years ago.
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Vocabulary
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Revered – Deeply respected or admired.
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Divine being – A god or goddess; a supernatural figure.
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Embodied – Represented or expressed in physical form.
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Deity – A god or goddess.
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Sacredness – The quality of being holy or very important spiritually.
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Transcended – Went beyond the limits of something; rose above.
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Amulets – Small objects worn to protect against evil or bring good luck.
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Mummifications – The process of preserving a body after death.
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Adorned – Decorated or made beautiful with ornaments.
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Indelible mark – A lasting effect or impression that cannot be erased.
Questions
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Why were cats revered in Ancient Egypt?
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What could happen if someone harmed a cat?
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How did Egyptians mourn the death of a cat?
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​Choose your level.
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Then, read the text.
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Do the questions.
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IMPORTANT
If you don't understand a word: keep reading.
Use CONTEXT, to understand the word. Go back to the word when you have finished the sentence.
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Luego, lee el texto.
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Haz las preguntas.
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Cuando hayas terminado…
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IMPORTANTE
Si no entiendes una palabra: sigue leyendo.
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Usa el contexto para entender la palabra. Vuelve a la palabra cuando hayas terminado la frase.
Easy​
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Which goddess liked cats?
Answer: Bastet.
Reason: Bastet is named as the goddess who loved cats.
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Why did people want cats in their homes?
Answer: For good luck and to stop mice.
Reason: These reasons are mentioned clearly.
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What did rich people do when their cat died?
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Answer: They made a mummy and put jewelry on it.
Reason: The text gives these two actions as examples.
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Medium
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Which goddess were cats linked to?
Answer: Bastet.
Reason: The text says cats were connected to Bastet.
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What happened if you hurt a cat?
Answer: You could be punished by death.
Reason: The text clearly states this.
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How did Egyptians show sadness when a cat died?
Answer: They shaved their eyebrows or mummified the cat.
Reason: These actions are mentioned as signs of mourning.
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Difficult
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What goddess were cats associated with?
Answer: Bastet.
Reason: The text explicitly links cats to Bastet.
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What was one punishment for killing a cat?
Answer: Death.
Reason: The text specifies the crime’s seriousness.
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How did ancient armies use Egyptians’ love for cats?
Answer: They released cats onto battlefields to deter Egyptian soldiers.
Reason: The armies exploited Egyptians’ reluctance to harm cats.
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Proficient
1. Why were cats revered in Ancient Egypt?
Answer: Because they were associated with the goddess Bastet and were seen as protectors and symbols of grace.
Reason: The text explains that cats were linked to divinity and protection.
2. What could happen if someone harmed a cat?
Answer: They could be punished by death.
Reason: The text mentions the killing of cats was a serious crime.
3. How did Egyptians mourn the death of a cat?
Answer: By shaving their eyebrows and mummifying the cat.
Reason: These are cited as mourning practices for deceased cats.​​​
Writing
Write a paragraph about:
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​Your Pets
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Mythology
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Famous animal stories
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Use words from the text that you didn't know.
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Bring your writings to class, or share it with us on Social Media.