The Cat in Ancient Egypt: Hunter pampered pet divine goddess

The oddly solitary nature of cats has intrigued humans since ancient times. The inherent mysteriousness and aloofness of the cat and other felines have made them ideal for representing divinities, while their propensity to be tamed, and ability to hunt harmful vermin, have helped them form intimate relationships with humans, particularly in agrarian societies. The African wildcat is believed to be the common ancestor of the majority of modern domestic cats. The two species of smaller felines most common in ancient Egypt were the jungle cat (Felis chaus) and the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica), which are still present in small numbers today. The Egyptians did not distinguish between