Since the days of ancient Egypt cats have been friends with humans. Back in the time of the Pharaohs cats were regarded as little gods earthly representatives of the Goddess Bast. Cats have never forgotten this. They had free run of everything and when a beloved cat died everyone in the family would shave off their eyebrows as a sign of mourning. More cat than human mummies have been unearthed from ancient Egyptian burial grounds. In the 1930s some three-hundred thousand cat mummies were found by British excavators and immediately shipped back to England to be used as farm fertilizer.

Being kept by a cat has been scientifically proven to be beneficial to a person's health. Stroking a cat relieves stress lowers blood pressure and gives people an increased sense of well-being. Perhaps it's the purring-- all cats great and small purr --they're the only animals that can and there's something entirely soothing about having a purring kitty on your lap.

Next time your kitty walks past you,tail erect, note that domestic cats are the only feline species that can do this. The great cats such as lions and tigers walk with their tails held horizontally behind themselves. You can gather a lot about your cat's mood by the posture and movements of her tail. When your kitty approaches you with her tail all aquiver she's expressing her highest regards for you. If her tail is held low with just the tip twitching side to side it's probably a good idea to give her some room as she's showing her irritation and dismay.

Ever wonder what a grouping of cats is called? Believe it or not a group of cats is a clowder and a pile of kittens is called a kindle. Cats can be wonderful companions and a never-ending source of amusement. Chances are good that your cat does not think of itself as a small human but rather she views you as a large cat. Considering how very civilized and gracious cats are, that's an honor!