The Cat

A very typical mackerel Malaysian cat

"The cat (or domestic cat, house cat) is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is valued by humans for its companionship and its ability to destroy vermin. A skilled predator, the cat is known to hunt over 1,000 species for food. Intelligent, the cat can be trained to obey simple commands, and has been known to teach itself to manipulate simple mechanisms" - more in Wikipedia

I also got to know that cats have been around humans for at least 9,500 years and in ancient Egypt they are worshipped as gods and the best part, back then one had to observe special mourning and burial fomalities if one's household cat were to pass away. That might include mummification and shaving of one's eyebrows, like how one would handle the passing of a family member. On the extreme, killing a cat, unintentionally or otherwise would result in a death penalty to the perpetrator.

But, there were also times where cats were put into a bad light. We all know how cats are associated with witches (especially the black ones), devildry and ill luck. If you have read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, there is a scene where Tom and Huck actually carries out a so-called witch's ritual to cure warts by bringing a dead cat to the graveyard in the middle of the night. And of course we all know the consequences of having a black cat cross your path.

In short, cats to a certain extent have been both revered and vilified by different cultures. For many people, it's either that you like them to bits or you totally disgust them.

I have to admit, I love cats and if I can't convince you to like them, at least read why I do.

Top 10 List on why I love cats (in no particular order)
1. Cats are hygenic because they self-groom
2. Cats do not take up much space - they can fit in very small spaces
3. Cats are independent
4. Cats do not smell bad when they are wet ;-)
5. Cats are ever so graceful
6. Cats have personality - some are aloof, some sophisticated, some condescending, some indifferent
7. Cats don't look dumb, at least most of 'em.
8. Cats have nine lives?
9. Cats can catch mice (and many other things), if they want to :-)
10. Cats can show their affection for you without slobbering all over you :P

But on top of all this, I do really hope that cats wouldn't scratch around that much, though I think that is much of that is pure instinct. Maybe few more thousand years of evolution might change that.

What about you? Leave a comment, on what you adore (or hate) when it comes to humankind's somewhat popular feline.

Some random kitties...

A very uniquely coloured kitten

The same cat you saw at the beginning of the post

This one looks so cosy with its paws tucked under