Mary Allen
Cats have seven lives, as the saying goes, but how did this legend come about? There are various theories: Among other things, it is assumed that the dexterity of the cat, for example when it falls, has earned it the reputation of being almost indestructible. In English-speaking countries, cats even have nine lives.
Cats are true acrobats and survivors, but do they actually have seven lives? Unfortunately no, even the most skillful velvet paws only live once – all the longer if they have a loving home with species-appropriate care, good care, and healthy nutrition. But how did the myth about the seven or nine lives of furry friends come about?
Cats Have Seven Lives: Superstitions & Facts
Unfortunately, there are no scientific sources as to why cats should have seven lives. However, most theories suggest that the velvet paws’ ability to twist while falling and land on their feet after falling from a great height helped create the legend. This ability is called the Spin Reflex or righting reflex. In addition, cats are very agile, allowing them to absorb the force of an impact – this often allows them to survive falls, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t necessarily unharmed.
In the Middle Ages, in particular, people believed that cats were witches or were in league with the devil. The Christian church started this rumor at the time, presumably because the cat was also a symbol for pagan deities. Out of fear, people resorted to the cruelest methods to get rid of the supposed demons: For example, they threw cats down from church towers – and the animals often survived the fall. Therefore, it was assumed that they must have had several lives.
However, it is difficult to say why it should be seven lives, at least in German-speaking countries and also in many Spanish-speaking countries. The “7” has high symbolic power in the Christian-Catholic tradition; there are seven deadly sins, seven sacraments, seven virtues, and according to the Bible the world was created in seven days. The “7” also appears frequently in fairy tales, for example, the bad wolf meets seven little kids and Snow White meets seven dwarfs behind the seven mountains. The sum “7” is composed of the “3” and the “4”; According to Christian symbolism, the “3” stands for the Trinity of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It, therefore, stands for the soul and everything spiritual. The 4″ on the other hand, probably stands for the four elements of antiquity: fire, water, air, and earth. In the ancient worldview, the four elements create material things together. The “7” could therefore also stand for the unity of material body and spirit stand; it is also considered a lucky number.
In England, Cats Have Nine Lives
In the English-speaking world, a cat has not only seven, but even nine lives. The reason that the velvet paws ever more than one life is probably the same as in the German-speaking culture. The “9” is also a symbolic number. For example, it contains the “3” three times, i.e. the number of the Trinity in Christian mythology, and hell consists of nine circles. But even among the Celts, the “3” was considered a divine number, and the “9” symbolized the whole universe.
The number also occurs in Norse mythology: in search of wisdom and knowledge, the main god Odin committed self-sacrifice that lasted nine days and nine nights. The Celts came mainly from what is now Great Britain, and Norse mythology also had a significant influence there. It is quite possible that the number “9” is even more important than the “7” in English-speaking countries.