In ancient Poland, Ovinnik, who appeared in the form of a black cat, was worshipped by many farming families because he watched over domestic animals and chased away evil-natured ghosts and mischievous fairies.
He was worshipped by farmers because he protected the crops from being eaten by rats and mice. A guardian of Chinese familiesĪ cat god called Li Shou appears in the Chinese Book of Rites. He was said to have evolved from one of the ancient cat gods and to be able to assume the form of a tomcat. Farmers left offerings for the cats in order to ensure a good harvest.Īi-Apaec, a god of the pre-Inca civilization known as the Mochica, was often depicted as an old man with a wrinkled face, long fangs and cat-like whiskers. The Norse goddess Freyja, deity of love, fertility, war, wealth, divination and magic, rode in a chariot pulled by two giant gray cats given to her by the god Thor.
Here are six tales about cat gods and cat goddesses that you might not know. But as I began exploring world mythology, I found that there’s a lot more to cats, deities and miracles than I first thought.īeyond all the folklore about beckoning cats, helpful cats, temple-guarding cats, prophets being kind to cats, and cats serving as omens and familiars, there are a tales surrounding cat goddesses and cat gods that we rarely hear about. But don’t worry, I’ve been guilty of this misconception, too: For many years, I believed that the ancient Egyptians were the only ones who revered, praised and even worshipped cats. Do you think of any other cultures when it comes to cat goddesses, cat gods and worshipping cats? Probably not. Author Terry Pratchett said, “In ancient times, cats were worshipped as gods they have not forgotten this.” When you hear this phrase, do you automatically think of ancient Egyptian cat goddesses and cat gods? Probably.
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