LEGENDS AND CAT'S ORIGINS

BIRTH OF THE CAT WORD

At the beginning, cats was called with latinus term of "Cattus", probably derived from Syrian term "Gato". Cattus word will be the base of europeean vocabulary to assign "cat" in english, "chat" in french, "gato" in italian, "Katze" in german. Romans used the word "Felis", certainly derived from "Feles" to mean thief. Egyptians, called their cat "Myeou"...

CAT'S STORY

50 millions years before our era : Existence of miacides, today view as cat's ancestor.
30 millions years before our era : Appearance of the Dinictis, known as the first cat-like.
15 millions years before our era : Cat-like diversify itself in several families: small cat-like, large cat-like and standard cheetah.
Between 3 to 5 millions years before our era : The most of 40 species of cat-like such as we know them today lived.
3000 about before : In old Egypte, they used cats to kill rats which convey black plague.
Then they adopt them as pets and to finished by the considering them like gods. They give them the name of "Miw". When "Miw" dies, its master starts a mourning and mommifie the cat to take it along to the large temple of Bastet, the cat goddess.
2000 before J.C. : Chinese domesticate the cats at their turn.
2000 - 400 before J.C. : All Europe adopts the cats as a pet.
Middle Ages : Uneasy between paganism and the cat emblem, the catholic church pursues, persecutes and sacrifices these animals. The belief according to a witch cover the appearance of a cat spill, and thousands of cats are burn alive.
2000 - 400 before J.C. : All Europe adopts the cats as a pet.
XVIIe century :The cat found a prominent place for artists, the middle-class and the aristocracy like a pet.
XVIIIe century : English is caught passion for the cats. Thus first cats expositions began.

LEGENDS

Noë's arch

The cats do not appear among the animals only Noë ambarked on its arch. On the other hand, rats and mice duplicate them quickly ao well they invaded the ship, their provocations tormenting the other animals: once of these small rodents had climbed on the head of the giraffe and proclaimed itseld watchtower of the boat, another same reaches to slip into the horn of an elephant... which, since this adventure, has a big fear of mice! The animals complained to Noë who held council with animals king, the lion. This last sneeze and two miniature lions leave its nostrils and mimmediately clasp themself to catch mice, until is only one couple of each kind of rodents species. But the bad character of the cat (mini lion) thrust Noë to keep cat tied to the bridge during the storm. It's from this hardship cats get the fear of water.

Another legend affirms that the lioness forsaken by his royal husband cuckold him with a monkey. Lion was mad about it, but Noë clockup to calm him : lions birith will keep a small size; as compensation they will get the courage of the lion and the inventive spirit of the monkey.

Another Leged tell the cat was in late to embark in the Noë's arch. He comes when door was closing and its tail was tripped up and cut. This cat without tail is called "Manx cat"

Greek Legend

Appolon, to afraid her sister Artemis, create the lion. Howveer, Artemis was not afraid easily, and retort with the cat. Artemis embody the moon. For this reason, the Greeks said that the Moon had give birth to a cat. This reference to the moon is ubiquitous in many legends besides several nations beacause cat conception is usually link to day stars. This dualité between sun and moon join up with the western duality good and evil.
Moreover this association, the moon will give to the cat a ligitimity to designate it as companion of the witches during the average Age, those will be hounded and extinguished.

Egyptian Legend : Bastet

The large Nile remained black and the jackals remained quiet. It was because a snake cobra had engulfed the sun symbolized by the splendid Râ. Égypte was sunk in the darkness. At this time, Bastet, goddess with cat's head, was sent on Earth. Listening only its courage, it pushed, in the nape of the neck of the cobra ,its hooks, and Cobra give up the ghost and the sun. The Nile finally left the night which should be everlasting. In same time Bastet, having pushed its hooks nearly to the sun, swallowed of its glare. Its ancestors inherit of this. It's why cat's pupil forswear to to make their eyes a luminous circle like that Râ's eye.