All cats great and small

I simply love all cats, great and small. How can you not fall in love with them? They are majestic, independent, fearsome creatures in the case of the great ones. But they are also funny, fluffy, and adorable in the case of small and domestic cats.

Representation in Religion and Mythology

I am not alone in my admiration for them. Our fascination goes back to time immemorial. I like how humans have used cats to take an important part in their affairs through religion and mythology. In ancient Egypt they were represented as important deities like Sekhmet, the lioness, and Bastet, the cat. In astrology they take the form of the constellation of Leo. That is the period of the year when the sun is on its full force, during summer. Heroes like Samson and Heracles have defeated lions barehanded to prove their strength. Jesus is called the Lion of Judah, which in turn is an important epithet in Judaism. Spoil alert: most, if not all, of these are solar deities or at least a solar representation. In short, the lion is also a symbol of the sun.

Characterization in Literature

We have beloved characters in so many stories who are cats. Just to mention a few, let’s start with the Cowardly Lion in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. He is one to which we instantly empathize. Who never felt that they were not doing what people expected of them? Moving next to The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, the story of Mowgli, the boy who was raised by wolves. He has a benevolent mentor who is a black panther, Bagheera. Together they fight against another large cat, the vicious tiger Shere Khan. And they defeat him. Showing that there are good cats and bad cats, the same as humans. Speaking of good cats, let’s not forget of Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Again, he is a representation of Christ as a lion. Lastly, the humble protagonist in The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe. Single-handedly, he administered justice against the narrator of the story. And boy, he deserved it.

Their place in our home

Did you know that domestic cats don’t meow between themselves, but just to their human tutors? I like to think that they are trying to communicate with us. This is certainly the case with the ones I lived with. As a matter of fact, some people say that they see us as big cats. I believe this is true. They want to sleep with you. They know when you are sad or upset. When they decide you are their special person, they want to spend all the time with you. They are great companions and give emotional support despite the generalized false idea that they don’t show or perceive emotions.

To conclude, they naturally demand respect. They represent the whole spectrum of human emotions through religion, mythology, and literature. They are also great friends and companions. That’s why all cats great or small are my favorite animals. Which are yours? Leave that in the comments!