Is it true that cats are not mentioned in the Bible?

Question

If so, are there any texts of any of the major religions that they are mentioned in?

I ask because it is something I had heard and wondered if it was true. I don't want to pick through each version of the Bible word by word to find out.

Answer 1

If you don't count Lions or Leopards as "cats", then yes, domestic cats are not mentioned in the Bible. The Egyptians worshipped cats.

"Cats in Egyptian mythology
Egypt was not always unified; initially, it was a land with many regional tribes and nomes. Many names had a totemistic system of religion, centering the worship of an animal as a spiritual symbol. Some peoples would choose a totem animal because of the services it provided, some for admirable qualities, some out of fear. Regardless, when war broke out between peoples, the tribe that won was able to demand more respect for their totem, and mandated its worship. Eventually an empire was formed under Menes circa 3100 BCE, and a more pluralistic form of totemism was established. Ibises, eagles, and beetles were among the totems worshipped alongside cats.

The Egyptians viewed their gods not as simple spirits but as intelligences that could be personified in a body. The earliest evidence of cats as deities comes from a 3100 BCE crystal cup decorated with an image of the lion-headed goddess Mafdet. The goddess Bast was originally depicted as a fiercely protective and warlike lion, but as her image "softened" over time she became more strongly associated with domestic cats.

As cats were sacred to Bast, the practice of mummification was extended to them, and the respect that cats received after death mirrored the respect they were treated with in everyday life. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that in the event of a fire men would guard the fire to make certain that no cats ran into the flame. Herodotus also wrote that when a cat died, the household would go into mourning as if for a human relative, and would often shave their eyebrows to signify their loss.

Such was the strength of feeling towards cats that killing one, even accidentally, incurred the death penalty. Another Greek historian, Diodorus Siculus, describes an interesting example of swift justice imposed upon the killer of a cat: about 60 BCE, he witnessed the chariot of a Roman soldier accidentally run over an Egyptian cat. An outraged mob gathered and, despite pleas from pharaoh Ptolemy XII, killed the soldier.


Cats in other religions
Feline reverence is not peculiar to Ancient Egyptian civilization. Muslim theology maintains that the prophet Muhammad once found a cat sleeping on his robe; instead of waking it, he cut a hole through his robe so as not to disturb the animal. If held true by scholars, the story teaches caring and mercifulness to all animals, not only cats. This reverence can be found in ancient Indian texts, where records of cats involved with human society can be found in two ancient Indian great epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, circa 500 BCE. As the Hindu and Parsee religions respected all forms of life and were especially sympathetic towards cats, all good Hindus were expected to take care of at least one cat during their lives. By contrast, the Islamic culture generally regards dogs as somewhat unhygienic animals.

Answer 2

The ancient Egyptians honored cats highly. Many gods were drawn with cats features and Egyptian queens had the first domesticated cats in their palaces.

The Holy Bible and the Hebrew Bible have no mention of cats. I'm not sure of the Qur'an. Nor of Hindu. I think Buddha let cats run through the houses but I don't think many were domesticated like in Egypt or honored, only not abused.

Answer 3

The bible mentions that god created all of the animals.

Answer 4

It is true. Don't know why, but I just did a search and the word cat is not in the bible anywhere.

Don't know about other religions.

Answer 5

A lot of animals are not mentioned in the bible. Why do you ask?

Answer 6

I looked all over and this was the only text that had it.
Catholic Bible

Baruch 6

21 Owls, and swallows, and other birds fly upon their bodies, and upon their heads, and cats in like manner
*******************************

Answer 7

is this a question worth to be posted in R N S CATEGORY? IN WHAT WAY RELIGION IS RELATED WITH CATS? FOR YOUR INFORMATION, CATS WERE MENTIONED IN ALL TEXT BOOKS OF MAJOR RELIGIONS . LIKE HINDUISM.

Answer 8

Holy purina bat man it's cat woman .... and neither was the green lantern?

Answer 9

Yes, they are mentioned in the CATholic Bible.

Hahahah. Sorry.

Answer 10

"Bible only" Christians should not keep cats as pets, since they are not mentioned in the Bible.