Where did the myth that cats have 9 lives come from?

Cats are one of the creatures that have played an extremely important role in the history of mankind. Sometimes cute, sometimes grumpy, these furry creatures are among mankind’s best friends, along with dogs. In fact, in some periods of history, cats were given even more importance than they are today. So much so that cats in ancient Egypt were considered gods! In general, the important role of cats in human life has led to a rather interesting claim about our cute friends: cats have 9 lives! This remarkable claim was extremely common, especially in past periods of history, and has been accepted by many people as true. But where did the myth that cats have 9 lives come from? Let’s take a look at the origins of this interesting legend together…

The myth that cats have 9 lives is unfortunately not true! However, it is not known exactly how this belief came about.

However, oral sources are believed to have brought this belief to modern times from an unknown period in history. Due to the difficulties in reaching oral sources, it is not possible to trace the origins of the legend.

However, it is believed that the legend first appeared in an English proverb. On the other hand, one of the first written sources of the legend is the famous play Romeo and Juliet written by the English writer William Shakespeare in the 16th century. At the match”a good king of cats is nothing but your nine lives” contains an expression.

The wonderful anatomy of cats has led to the myth that they have nine lives

As you know, cats are truly flawless creatures when it comes to balance and agility. Thanks to their extremely flexible build, strong muscles and bones, they can make amazing jumps. They are also quite skilled at falling great distances without taking any damage. So much so that there are records of a cat in New York that fell from a 32-story building and survived with only minor injuries. It is believed that the myth that they had 9 living beings spread due to these features resulting from their flawless anatomy.

The myth that cats have 9 lives is extremely common. So why are they considered to be 9 years old specifically?

Why not 8 or 10? The answer to this question lies in the genesis of beliefs in different cultures. The number 9 is extremely important to many civilizations, from Islamic civilization to ancient Rome and Greece. The number 9 is known to play a significant role in many cultural, religious or mystical beliefs in different civilizations. It is believed that the 9 lives attributed to cats were created in this way…

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