Why do cats have 9 lives? For a long time, cats and people have been living together. This has led to many myths about cats. One popular belief is that cats have nine lives. But where does this story come from? And why would a cat have nine lives?
Why do we say cats have nine lives?
Cats are one of the most agile and independent pets. They can also survive falls that would easily kill a human. In one case, a pet cat in New York City survived a fall from 32 stories with only minor injuries. This is because of their amazing anatomy:
- Cats are adapted to live in trees, and many wild feline species still do. They have evolved over millions of years to be able to handle falling from heights very well.
- Cats can twist their bodies in mid-air and land on all four feet due to their impressive ‘righting reflex.’
- Cats have a large surface area compared to their weight, which dissipates the force of impact when they land.
- Another advantage that they have is their flexibility in bones and ligaments, which reduces the likelihood of sustaining injuries from impacts.
Where does the “cats have 9 lives” saying come from?
The phrase “a cat has nine lives” means that cats are very lucky and can live a long time. People have been saying this for many years, even Shakespeare used it in one of his famous plays. Some people think this phrase came from an old English Proverb that says: “A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays and for the last three he stays.” But now we just say it as a fun way to talk about how lucky cats are.
Do cats have 9 lives, or eight?
It is interesting to know that people in different cultures all over the world believe that cats have multiple lives. This belief is not always nine lives – the number of lives depends on the culture. For example, some people in Spain believe that cats have seven lives while Turkish and Arabic legends say they have six.
The number nine is often seen as a magical number. This might explain why people think cats have nine lives. In ancient Greece, the most important trinity was symbolized by the number nine. Cats have been both worshipped and feared over the years because some people think they have magical powers.
Can cats cheat death?
Cats have amazing reflexes and can move quickly. They are also very agile. If they sense danger, they will disappear immediately. They also enjoy walks on ledges that would be frightening for most humans!
One time, a cat called Jack escaped from his travel carrier at an airport. He was gone for two months before he was found. Another cat, Jessie, went missing after moving to a new house. A year later, she showed up at her old house. Jessie’s owner said she must have walked all the way across the country to get back home!
These abilities may sometimes seem extraordinary, even supernatural, to us. But the idea of cats having nine lives is no more true than the myth of black cats being lucky or unlucky. Therefore, cats need as much care and attention as any other pet.
