By Ramona D. Marek
For more than 5,000 years, the cat has graced us with its presence, and each culture has reflected the cat’s social status in its mythology, literature and art. The ancient Egyptians revered and deified the cat. In contrast, during the Middle Ages in Europe the cat was reviled. Decreed evil by the church, cats were slaughtered until almost extinct. The Renaissance restored the cats’ natural elegance, charm, beauty and sense of tranquility, and the cat reclaimed its status as beloved pet.
**Get the November 2009 issue of CAT FANCY to read the full article.**