CAT LOVE Women and cats go back a long way. In ancient Egypt, cats were associated with the sun god, Ra, and the moon goddess, Isis. Domestic cats were protected by Bast, Ra’s daughter. Her temple in the city of Bubastis had a necropolis where hundreds of mummified cats were buried. It was a capital crime to kill a cat in Bubastis, even accidentally. Cat owners shaved off their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when their pet died. Bast’s gifts to cat lovers were joy and pleasure. Cats can be a mixed blessing, however. My Catty Puss was affectionate but demanding. He refused to be left out of anything. And his favorite resting place from the time he was a kitten, was on the shoulder of the people he loved. As he grew bigger, this meant that he progressed from being an adorable fuzz ball nestled beneath my ear, to a humungous cat-fur stole that wrapped round my neck and hung down my chest like one of those barbaric fox fur pieces my mother and grandmother used to wear. Only Catty Puss was alive. He purred like a jumbo jet. It was impossible to concentrate with that steady vibration throbbing in my brain. Still, I seldom had the heart – or the determination – to dislodge him. When he died, I didn’t shave my eyebrows. But I miss him still. This card celebrates our unique love affairs with cats. They’re maddening. Independent. Infuriating. Sometimes as needy as a two year old. In short, they’re cats. On the whole, however, Bast got it right. They bring joy and pleasure. Most of the time. |