Cats, in our history, played a great deal in ensuring good crop stockpiling and pest control, more than mere cute animals to pet. So naturally, just like everything close to humans, cats got their fair share of appreciation in literature and arts. This appreciation dates way back into our history, though. It traces back even to the ancient Egyptians, and quite possibly, even older.
Cats are arguably the favorite pets around the world. They’re up there on the ranking alongside dogs. The feline has been one of humanity’s most important domestic animals for ages. Curiously, cats are closer to their wild nature and instinct than most pets. Although most cats, even the strays, are tame and easy to approach, they don’t display a huge contrast in their appearance like a domesticated animal would.
Turns out, cats spread worldwide, just like literature did in the past. Along with merchants both on land and the sea, cats traveled and migrated around the world in search of homes and food. When on land cats often found shelter in a farmhouse, on the sea they found refuge in ships’ cabins and lived among the crews. And like legends in literature, cats also have an affinity to higher beings.
The Mighty Egyptian Feline Gods
Who knows, this fur ball of a creature once was among the deities that people worshiped, particularly, in Egypt. The ancient Egyptians are well-known to have a liking for cats. So much so, that a couple of their gods were depicted as cat-like deities, Sekhmet and Bastet.
Sekhmet is the patron of physicians and healers for ancient Egyptians, and is also the protector of the pharaohs. Initially, Ra, the Sun God, created her as a weapon to vanquish any form of human disobedience.
Her character seems to be contradictory, she is the embodiment of war and chaos, but also healing. But, depending on one’s perspective, it can also be the perfect balance a higher entity would have. After all, her name means “she who is powerful”. She is mostly depicted as a goddess with a lion’s head. However, in her calmer state, she assumes the form of the cat goddess, Bastet.
Interestingly, people still worship Sekhmet and Bastet today, among several other gods. For Bastet, especially, she proves how important cats are for Egyptians across their rich legacy. Aside from being a literal physical form of one of the gods, cats also accompany their owners after death in the ancient Egyptians’ belief. That’s why researchers and archeologists often find cat mummies buried alongside the owners.
More Mystical Meows
Animals in spiritual realms isn’t a rare concept. For instance, Japan has quite numerous godlike other-worldly creatures called yokai. Some of these yokai take the form of cats. Most of us might’ve heard of Bakeneko and Nekomata. These two might be Japan’s most well-known cat deities. While Bakeneko and Nekomata pose a threat to our safety, some of these mystical cats are benevolent.
For example, Gotoku Neko is a charming cat yokai who loves hanging around fireplaces. A Japanese scholar and artist, Toriyama Sekien, first mentioned this yokai in his book Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro. The yokai’s origin refers to a story in Tsurezuregusa. A nobleman performed the dance of seven virtues only to forget two of them and became known for his dance of five virtues. Thus, in Sekien’s book the Gotoku Neko is also known to be forgetful.
On the other hand, Maneki Neko is purely benevolent and a sign of fortune in Japan, especially for agriculture. People often buy its figurines, hoping for good fortune. There is a bit of story behind the figurines. In the Edo period, there was an Oiran in Yoshikawa district who loved her cat. However, when she was about to take a bath, the cat became so clingy and scratched her dress. The place owner drew out his sword and slashed the cat, thinking she was attacked.
The cat’s head flew into the bathroom, and its fangs stabbed a hiding snake. Even in death, her cat saved her. To cheer the Oiran up, the owner ordered a cat figurine that looked just like her cat. Then, people began buying copies of the figurine, thinking it would save them from unforeseen dangers.
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Cat Renaissance And Louis Wain’s Trippy Cat Arts
Cats transcended beyond folklore and legends of gods throughout history. Notably, they frequently made appearances in paintings. For example, in the Edo period, Japan’s interest in art peaked, including its exquisite paintings. There are a lot of prominent painters and woodblock print artists who earned their name in this period, namely, Utagawa Kuniyoshi.
Kuniyoshi is also known for his art depicting anthropomorphic cats, seemingly a booming genre at that time. Because, even on the other side of the globe, cat art also gained massive popularity. The 19th century was a notable point for European cat painting. A trend of collecting cat paintings grew among the wealthy.
Among those cat painters, Louis Wain had a rather unique story. His cat paintings gained popularity after the 1886 Christmas edition of The Illustrated London News featured his first anthropomorphic cat art, A Kitten’s Christmas Party. He received numerous requests and commissions for his cat art, especially during the end of WW1.
However, his financial and mental condition was deteriorating, to the point that his sister admitted him to a pauper ward at Springfield Mental Hospital. Despite his condition, Wain continued painting and was later transferred to a private room at the Royal Bethlem Hospital in Southwark. His mental condition contributed to the progressively abstract paintings. His health hit a low point when he suffered from a stroke in 1938 and passed away a year later.
Curious Cases Of Cartoon Cats
Closing into our period, we’re so familiar with cartoons like Tom and Jerry, or Garfield. Or even something wackier like CatDog or Oggy and the Cockroaches. For most of us, they’re our childhood and what makes Sunday morning so memorable. However, they’re not the first or even the biggest cats in the world of animation, surprisingly.
Long before animation became what we know today as animation, Krazy Kat became one of the first comic strips that made its way into cartoons. With the release of Introducing Krazy Kat and Ignatz Mouse in 1916, Krazy Kat became one of the pioneers of cats in animated works.
When it comes to the biggest animated cat, Hello Kitty sure is the winner. Since the character’s first release back in 1975, Hello Kitty remains relevant to this day. It still makes appearances in various products and pop-culture references. Its first animated cartoon, Hello Kitty’s Furry Tale Theater, is also considerably old, released back in 1987.
Suffice to say, we as a species love cats. From old tales of gods, mystical folklore, and wacky arts and cartoons, there is seemingly no shortage of cats in our cultures. Their natural diet consists of pests that endangered our food back in the day. And even if we take them only as pets, they prove to be one of the favorites in the world.
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