What did the Egyptians shave after a cat’s death? Here’s how revered cats were in ancient Egypt.

They were pampered, worshipped, and even depicted as deities. Cats in ancient Egypt enjoyed extraordinary popularity. Some of the customs associated with them may surprise you.

The civilization of ancient Egypt is fascinating. Because for the ancient Egyptians, the afterlife was more important than earthly life, knowledge of their culture has survived to this day in richly furnished tombs. Egyptian culture abounded in beliefs and rituals concerning animals. And one of the most revered animals were cats.

What did the Egyptians shave after a cat’s death?

Supposedly, they shaved their eyebrows, and this information can be found in the work of the Greek historian Herodotus titled “Histories.” Herodotus wrote “Histories” around 450 BCE. Although he is called the “father of history,” we cannot consider the information presented in the “Histories” as scientifically verified facts, although this work is undoubtedly an important source.

The passage from “Histories” about cats in Egypt goes like this: “Whereas when a household cat has died, all the dwellers in the house shave their eyebrows, but when a dog [dies], they shave the whole of their bodies and their heads. They gather up the cats thus embalmed and carry them away to sacred buildings, where they are buried; but the dogs they bury each in his own city, in sacred chests.”

We don’t know if the custom of shaving eyebrows, and even the head and body after the death of animals, was practiced beyond the period described by Herodotus. But we do know for sure that cats in ancient Egypt played a huge role in the beliefs, symbolism, and daily life of the people of that time.

Bastet — the goddess with a feline face

The city mentioned by Herodotus, Bubastis, was located in the Nile Delta. It was an important center of the cult of the goddess Bastet. This goddess was depicted with the head of a cat. She was considered the patron not only of these animals but also of love, joy, fertility, and music.

Bastet was initially depicted as a lioness. Over time, her image evolved, and she took on a form closer to that of a domestic cat. Cats were common in wealthier Egyptian households. They played an important role in combating pests such as rats and snakes, which influenced their perception as symbols of protection and prosperity.

Like many Egyptian gods, Bastet had both a good and a dangerous side. It has been theorized that the early lioness goddess was the sister of Bastet — Sechmet. She symbolized a powerful, ruthless warrior, while Bastet, increasingly depicted as a cat, represented a gentler aspect. Eventually, Bastet and Sechmet merged into one deity. Bastet was depicted not only as a human figure with the head of a cat or lion but also simply as a cat.

In Bubastis, the annual great festival of Bastet was held, also described by Herodotus. Celebrated in April and May, it could gather hundreds of thousands of people. There were also found, among other things, the ruins of the temple of Bastet and a cemetery of mummified cats.

Not only Bastet and Sechmet. Other cat deities

The first known deity with a cat head was Madfet. In the times of the First Dynasty, around 3000 BCE, she was considered the defender of the pharaoh’s chambers against snakes, scorpions, and evil. She was often depicted with the head of a leopard or cheetah.

Another important mother goddess, Mut, was depicted with a cat’s head. At various times in Egyptian history, it was believed that Mut was the mother creator of the world or the wife of the creator — Amun-Ra. Like Sechmet, she is sometimes also depicted as a lioness.

Cat mummies and cat necropolises

Archaeologists still find cat mummies to this day, not only in Bubastis. Also, the archaeological site of Bubasteion in Saqqara is full of them. Unique lioness mummies have also been found there — perhaps they are related to the warrior aspect of the goddess Bastet. Not only deceased domestic cats were mummified. These animals, like objects used in earthly life, were sometimes buried with their deceased owners. After all, the afterlife was a faithful reflection of earthly life for the ancient Egyptians.

Archaeological findings also suggest that cats were sacrificed and mummified for this purpose. Most of the thousands of cat mummies discovered in Saqqara bear signs of head trauma. They were probably bred in temples specifically as sacrificial animals. The number of cat mummies indicates that this was a widespread practice, and they were likely traded as well. Some cat mummies have their own sarcophagi, equipped with sculptures and amulets.

Cats in ancient Egypt: beloved pets

The cult of Bastet and the mummification of cats are just one religious aspect of feline presence in ancient Egypt. Cats were certainly also beloved household pets. They were useful predators, protecting households not only from rodents but also from dangerous snakes and scorpions. Long before animal mummies were used as religious offerings, they were created for personal reasons. Beloved animals were supposed to accompany the deceased in the afterlife.

The most popular domestic animals of the Egyptians were:

• cats,
• dogs,
• mongooses,
• monkeys,
• gazelles,
• birds.

They were given names just like today, as evidenced by over seventy names deciphered from cat and dog mummies. Domestic animals and scenes involving them were also a common motif in Egyptian tombs.

Were cats domesticated in Egypt?

It is worth remembering that in the early days of ancient Egyptian statehood, the cat was still essentially a wild animal. Genetic evidence suggests that cats were domesticated in the Near East, and their ancestor is the Nubian cat. It occurs — besides Egypt — in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Corsica, Sardinia, and Crete. Ancient Egypt was certainly the first civilization where cats were kept in homes on such a massive scale. If it weren’t for the Egyptians, today the cat might not be one of our beloved pets.

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