The mysterious cat and UFO inspired this art piece. For thousands of years, people have been captivated by cats. Before wild cats became domesticated, ancient cultures believed in the cat spirit animal. And when wild cats began to live more closely with human beings around 8000 B.C., cats became even more important in our lives. Cat meaning and symbolism include elegance, curiosity, independence, protection, magic, and other notable qualities.
Cats have been both feared and loved throughout history by many different cultures. Some Native Americans, such as the Oglala, believed that cats had powerful magic and the ability to curse people; thus, they were not fond of cats. However, the Egyptians had multiple cat goddesses, including Bast, Sekmet (goddess with the head of a lioness), and Mafdet (goddess having come before Bast, who represented feral Egyptian cats). Each of these gods is female, supporting the association many have between cats and women. Cats are also associated with female medicine. Cats were domesticated in Egypt around 2100 BCE for hunting.
The Celts also fonded felines, associating them with their goddess Brighid. In this case, cats represent friends and companions, much like dogs. The Celts saw certain qualities in cats, like sensitivity and stealth, and attempted to copy them. Cats are strongly associated with magic, and appropriately, Druidic priests would use cat magic so that they would be able to cross between the spiritual and physical worlds.
Christianity turned these positive traditions upside-down by connecting cats with Satan, witches, evil, and any other negative things that came to mind. Cats were seen as accomplices and often hung with their masters when convicted of heresy. The Pilgrims shared these opinions of cats when they went to the Americas. Thus, our society has many superstitions about cats; for instance, black cats are unlucky or ill omens. They believe black cats are actually lucky in Britain and Ireland, even selling little black bog cat statues for good luck.
As for symbolism, cats symbolize rebirth and resurrection in their nine lives. Because they are nocturnal, they are also associated with darkness, subconsciousness, and hidden things. Hence, many people believe that cats are symbols of mystery, magic, and healing.
All hail the Kittycorn πΊπ½!
