Do Cats have Nine Lives?
At some point in life you may have heard the famous line “A cat has nine lives.”
When someone survives many accidents, we say he is like a cat, as cats have nine lives and never die easily.
Do you think the saying is true? Do cats have nine lives in reality?
The saying has been carried on from an old English proverb: “A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays and for the last three he stays.”
William Shakespeare also refers to the nine lives in his famous play Romeo and Juliet.
How Did The Belief Originate?
In ancient Egypt, cats were considered sacred animals and they worshipped them as gods. Egyptians believed that cats were divine creatures that possess supernatural powers. The idea that they could have multiple lives makes sense with their view of cats.
But why nine lives? No one knows the answer to that. But there are many possibilities.
For example, the Egyptians worshipped their sun god Atum-Ra who gave birth to eight other gods. They believed that Atum-Ra would take the form of a cat on his visit to the lower world. The cat would thus represent all nine lives in one.
Why Do People Believe Cats Have Nine Lives?
Some people believe the nine lives are related to cats’ dexterity and agility and their ability to always land on their feet.
Many believe that the saying stemmed from cats’ ability to survive extreme situations.
Over time, people have witnessed cats survive in situations that would have been fatal or severely injuring to other animals. So people began to believe that cats must have multiple lives.
Dr. Brian Beale, an orthopedic pet surgeon and joint specialist says that, “Historically, cats have been observed to be able to live through events, like being thrown from tall towers or engulfed in fire. Such situations typically would kill people or other animals.”
“I believe that the ability of cats to perfectly balance themselves during a fall is the main origin of the nine lives idea,” says holistic physical therapist Sally Morgan.
“They have flexibility in their bones and ligaments which are required for quiet stealth to attack their prey. That allows them to sustain minimal injury from many types of accidents.”
Theosophical reason
According to theosophical facts, cats are gifted with great amount of Prana (life energy) that makes them energetic and agile.
So what is Prana? And why is it significant?
Prana is the vital energy that all living organisms absorb from the sun. A sufficient amount of Prana is necessary for their existence. It is therefore, said that all living beings, animals, plants, etc. are products of Prana.
H.P. Blavatsky, Co-Founder of the School of Theosophy has compared Prana with oxygen in her book “The Etheric Double”. She compares prana with the life-giving gas – oxygen, the active chemical agent in all organic life.
The fact that cats are pre-eminently endowed with prana has given rise to the popular idea of the cat having “nine lives”. For the same reason it appears to be regarded as sacred in Egypt.
Conclusion:
There is no such thing as nine lives. Cats have one life on this planet like everyone else.
The nature and prana give felines some advantages that allow cats to escape from dangerous situations.
Cats are incredibly intelligent and intuitive. They have super-fast reflexes, incredible dexterity, and quick decision-making skills. Cats have a very flexible spine and they can position their body in a protective manner in time of danger.
The myth that cats have multiple lives exists in many cultures around the world. It’s not always nine lives, though. Some Spanish-speaking regions believe cats have seven lives, while Turkish and Arabic legends claim cats have six lives.
Have you heard of any other myths about cats? Share it with us and gain a theosophical view on them!
Let us know what you feel about the blog in the comments section!
