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Book Review of Cats in Ancient Egypt: A Captivating Guide to the Sacred and Symbolic Place of Felines in Egyptian Culture and Religion (Ancient Egyptian History)

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Egyptian art is filled with images of cats, and I wanted to know more about why cats are revered in Egyptian culture. This book satisfies that quest. It explains how cats became domesticated and took over the pest control job (I was unaware that ferrets were also used for pest control).

The genus first emerged about 30 million years ago and has a long history. This book explains how cats became household pets and later emerged from Egypt's mythology. The cat joined the goddess Bastet and became part of the fierce lioness myth, embodying protection and motherhood.

Before long, cats and their owners were mummified. Later, they were mummified for their value to their owners. The story of archaeology and how they found millions of dead cats is surprising. This is a fascinating book.