Did you ever ask yourself, why are we saying that the cats have 9 lives? Is there any truth in this, and if so, who counted it?
Maybe I can tell right away that this is just a myth. Cats, just like all other creatures, have only one life. So, why 9 lives?
The basis for the myth is probably the cat's exceptional ability to avoid accidents and survive events that most creatures wouldn't. Cats are capable of surviving falls from a height that humans wouldn't and when after a long fall, a cat pick herself up with maybe just a broken tooth and runs away, it may give the impression that she came back to life.
But this is not because cats have multiple lives, but because of the physical benefits they have. Cats have a highly developed balance center that allows them to land on their feet. They can quickly overestimate their position in the air, even with their back down, and how to turn herself to fly with her feets towards the ground. After the cat lands on all fours, she slightly shrink herself . That's absorbs the impact and transfers the force from the bones to the joints and muscles.
So, why number 9? One of the explanations comes from Ancient Egypt. According to their belief, the sun god Atum-Ra took over the body of a cat to visit the world. They said that Atum-Ra gave birth to eight other gods and therefore he represented 9 lives in one body.
It is also possible that the myth came from China, where 9 is valid for a lucky number. But not only in China, number 9 is considered lucky in many cultures.
But is not always number 9. Some cultures believe that cats have 7 life. However, in some Turkish and Arabic legends, they are supposed to have only 6 lives.
They always bring smile on my face, and 9 lives or not, they are incredible creatures and capable to survive in unbelievable situations.
And what do you think about this myth? Why 9 lives?
Guys, till next time 😎💪
With love,
