Cat Facts 19

•  25. Cat Smuggling
• Egypt prohibited the export of cats. A dedicated branch of government dealt with this problem. Agents were sent out to other lands just to retrieve the smuggled felines.
• 26. Death Penalty
• Given their devotion to cats, it was illegal to harm their creatures in Egypt. Records from 450 BCE show that people who killed cats receive the death penalty.
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• 27. Burial Rites
• They were mourned uniquely in Egypt. In Ancient Egypt, when a family cat died, the family members would shave their eyebrows as a way of mourning the death of the cat. Also, they would drink wine and beat their chests to mourn the cat. The body is taken to Bastet’s temple where it is mummified and buried in sacred receptacles.
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• 28. Ancient India
• References to cats are found in the literary epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. “Puss in Boots” is taken from a 5th century BCE Indian folk tale called Panchatantra.
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• 29. Phoenician Traders
• Phoenicians were famous traders of the Antiquity. They smuggled cats out of Egypt and brought them into Europe. Cats may also have been used to control vermin in their ships.
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• 30. Japan
• The early Japanese saw cats as guardians of their homes and valuable books. They had their own private pagodas. In the 10th century CE, cats were so expensive only the nobility could afford them.
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• 31. Ancient Rome
• Romans used weasels for pest control so they were not as dependent on cats. They were mostly kept as pets and regarded as a symbol of independence, not utility.
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• 32. Blue Eyes
• Kittens are all born with cloudy blue eyes but the color could change after six weeks based on genetics. Common hues include green, yellow, orange, copper, and hazel.
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• 33. Adult Discoloration
• Color shifts could also point to health problems in adult cats. Possible causes are inflammation due to trauma, tumors, infection, diabetes, glaucoma, or high blood pressure.
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• 34. Night Vision
• Cats have elliptical pupils that open wider than human eyes, allowing them to gather more light from their surroundings. This provides excellent night vision for hunting prey.