Why are cats believed to have nine lives?

Answer 1

Do you know why cat's have nine lives -- or did you ever wonder why people say they do? This is the story. A very hungry cat entered a house one day and found a plate of nine fish that were going to be eaten for dinner by the nine starving children who lived there. The cat was feeling a little selfish that day and ate up all of the fish in nine quick bites. With no food on the table, the nine starving children died of hunger the very next day, along with the cat who died from eating WAY too much. When the cat went up to heaven and spoke with God, God was so angry with the cat that he threw him out of heaven and made him fall for nine days all the way back to earth. To this day, the cat still holds the nine lives of the starving children in his belly, which is why he must die nine different times before he will stay dead.

(Good myth, never heard of it.)Source:http://www.ustrek.org/odyssey/semester2/013101/013101stephenzora.html

Stephen St Claire goes on to note an even more astounding ability of cats to quite literally land on their feet by routinely surviving and completely recovering from falls that would kill most animals (including humans). On the basis of a survey in the late 1980s (based on reports from vets... as opposed to intentionally dropping the cats), 132 cats fell from an average of 5.5 stories but with only about one third requiring emergency treatment, another third non-emergency treatment, and one third no treatment at all. St Claire notes that the highest recorded fall survived by a cat was 45 stories! Apparently, the adage of a cat having nine lives has a scientific, experiential basis.
http://www.halexandria.org/dward765.htm

Although cats do not have nine lives, they do seem to. Cats can fall from tremendous heights and jump seven times their tail length. http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~bgoebel/Russell/All%20About%20Cats.htm

The well-known saying that a cat has nine lives has its origins in witchcraft. A book titled Beware the Cat written by English author William Baldwin during the Dark Ages in 1584 contained the phrase "It is permitted for a witch to take her cat's body nine times". Thus the idea that cats have nine lives. http://pets1st.com/articles/00072legendsmythsfolklore.asp
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/779998.html

SCIENTISTS have discovered that the purring of cats is a "natural healing mechanism" that has helped inspire the myth that they have nine lives. Wounded cats - wild and domestic - purr because it helps their bones and organs to heal and grow stronger, say researchers who have analysed the purring of different feline species. This, they say, explains why cats survive falls from high buildings and why they are said to have "nine lives". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2001/03/22/ecncat22.xml

The cat having nine lives represents the unique relation to humans. The legend of Noah and his Ark are well known but there is another legend that is associated with this that many people have never heard. There weren’t any domestic cats when Noah built the Ark, but there were rats and mice on board. They reproduced and soon there were too many vermin. Noah asked the lion for help so the lion sneezed and this is when the first domestic cats appeared to help rid of the vermin.♥ http://www.sfsu.edu/~geog/bholzman/courses/316projects/cats.doc

Answer 2

It is common lore that cats have nine lives. It is a tribute to their perceived durability, their occasional apparent lack of instinct for self-preservation, and their seeming ability to survive falls that would be fatal to other animals.

"As FamilyFun's vet, I was recently asked why it is said that cats have nine lives. I can only tell you from my own experience that cats seem to tempt fate continually in their lifetimes, and many survive again and again."

Answer 3

Better senses, more senses, and higher flexablity help them survive what most animals or atleast humans wouldn't be able to get through or avoid.
Plus they are aligned with goodness and God everywhere but North America. In North America people decided to take things out on them and try to kill them,.. but Cats breeding so quickly and haveing so many per litter would lead to the same cat seemingly coming back that had to be killed with the Witches.

Answer 4

It is common lore that cats have nine lives. It is a tribute to their perceived durability, their occasional apparent lack of instinct for self-preservation, and their seeming ability to survive falls that would be fatal to other animals.

Answer 5

That is a distinct tale, however I must admit, had that occurred to my cat, I might on no account were competent to pay the vet charges, and might have had him positioned to sleep. I love my cat very a lot, and I do believe they have got 9 lives. Mine has used up approximately six of hers (and that is handiest those I've witnessed with my possess eyes). I do desire that your a lot-loved Jim might have had a couple of extra.

Answer 6

I imagine it's because they always seem to land on thier feet
if they fall.

Answer 7

because of thier curious nature, they should die so many times but due to thier alwyas swithched on attitude and relfex live on.

Answer 8

Maybe because they keep falling and
getting up like nothing happened...

Answer 9

Because they seem to defy death alot.

Answer 10

Because they are not easy to kill!