Classical Cats: The rise and fall of the sacred cat

by Donald W. Engels

Today when we think of domestic cats, we recall the familiar hearthside companion and the mischievous playmate. It is difficult to comprehend that in the past the animal has played a fundamental role in the development of European and Western civilization. The human relationship to the cat has been important for most of the last four millennia.
In this beautifully illustrated book, Donald Engels charts the history and significance of the cat from ancient Egypt to the middle ages, exploring such phenomena as the worship of the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet, the infamous cat massacres and witch hunts of the thirteenth century, and the role of the cat in combating disease and starvation. Classical Cats presents a unique and entertaining view of the vicissitudes of the cat in history.

Genres: History, Cats, Nonfiction, Animals

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 12, 1999

Reviews

[George Ilsley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what to make of this volume. The material felt disorganized, and sometimes numbingly detailed.

Was somewhat annoyed by sloppy reporting of the ship's cat on Scott's South Pole expedition. The cat was described as "unnamed" (in fact, it had a name now considered very rude, so not usually mentioned), was lost overboard (that did happen), and then Engels says the entire expedition was lost on the way to the South Pole. These events are only 100 years ago and are minutely documented, and if mistakes are made in this reference one can only wonder how accurate the conclusions are about developments two or three or four thousand years ago.

For the record, Scott's polar party (5 people) made it to the South Pole, but then died on the return trip. The rest of the expedition (roughly 30 people) overwintered safely near the coast and then returned to Europe (where many of them died in the carnage of World War I). To describe the entire expedition as being lost on the way to the South Pole is just wrong on so many levels. And all this, just to bring in a "contemporary" reference to a ship's cat.

One could talk about ship's cat for entire books; the need for them, the superstitions around them (some sailors would not go on ship without a cat; and if a cat left the ship that was a bad sign!).

[Dasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I disagree with Engels' conclusion that the 20th century welcomed the cat as a domestic pet (if it ever gets published, my own work challenges this directly via a gendered lens) I think that this remains a concise and relevant over of cats place within the homes and hearts of societies across time.

[Il Rospo Lettore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molto interessante excursus storico, artistico, sociologico e religioso nel rapporto tra uomo e gatto dai giorni nostri al 4000 a.C. (data della probabile addomesticazione del gatto o dell'uomo, ça va sans dire) e ritorno. Un rapporto che fin dall'inizio ha subito trasceso il "semplice" legame utilitaristico per assumere connotati mistici e culturali molto forti. Il gatto ha infatti influito, per esempio, anche sull'origine della sanità pubblica. Incredibile gli intrecci, per fare solo un esempio, tra il culto di iside nell'Antico Egitto e i gatti violinisti presenti nella cattedrali inglesi medioevali. Un lungo legame affettivo sicuramente (è scientificamente provato che accarezzare un gatto porta benefici di riduzione di pressione arteriosa a tutti, in particolare gli anziani; e che le fusa di un micio coprono delle frequenze sonore che portano benessere psichico e fisico), di rispetto e considerazione (sopratutto nei tempi antichi -Egitto, Grecia e Roma, ma anche l'Islam-ma anche crudeli persecuzioni sanguinose (la caccia alle streghe in Europa occidentale). Da non dimenticare poi, e l'autore non lo fa, l'importante laison fra gatto, topo e ratto, quasi che queste tre specie siano interconnesse fra loro e con la specie umana. Da leggere per conoscere meglio il nostro micio di casa, le tradizioni millenarie che lo accompagnano e per capire un po' di più della storia della specie umana (interessantissima la motivazione della mancanza di igiene nel Medioevo europeo, che portò alle pesanti epidemie di peste e alla persecuzione dei gatti).

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love cats what can I say. This is a very interesting and informative book about our feline friends and delves into all sorts of interesting tales of the days when they were gods ( such as a personal favorite of mine Sehkmet) onward.

[Jocelyn Brady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tres interessant