Do you have a cat with nine lives? Most of us would probably think it just means a cat is so lucky it gets the equivalent of 9 lives because it can escape situations so well. But, if you think about it, you might wonder, where exactly does it come from, and what exactly does it mean? This article will explore the truth about a cat’s nine lives.
Some say a cat’s nine lives refers to someone, whether it be a cat or a human getting so many chances to change things in their lives. When taking a look at Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable you will see that the term comes from cats being more tenacious than most animals.
Some people believe that a cat’s nine lives come all the way from Egypt, where cats were once highly appreciated animals. If you consider for a moment the number 9, it is a triplet of the number 3, meaning a trinity, therefore 9 lives mean 3 times the luck of the number 3 which is lucky in and of itself.
Considering this also came from Egypt, it seems only fitting that the country’s myths about numbers and the sly animal come together for such a phrase.
If you do further research, a cat’s nine lives might also come from the fact that they seem so limber and able to escape dangerous situations. You figure they can climb trees after teasing dogs, they seem to always land on their feet and they can move quite fast as well.
On top of that cats are a much-loved pet of millions of homes with owners who adore several of these beautiful animals if allowed to. The cat is more adaptive than many animals as well, being both an indoor and an outdoor animal.
It can be trained to be very prim and proper. Felines are easily trained to potty in one select area such as a litter box. It can be lovable and it can be protective, by attacking mice and even large dogs if it feels like it.
These animals are very versatile and have a personality of their own. They can seem sly and loving all at one time. They are so very unique, even from each other. And this is particularly an endearing trait because of the different personalities of its owners.
You might never be able to find two cats that are identical in both features and personalities, even when from the same litter. It is no wonder the phrase a cat’s nine lives fit them so well.
After all of these explanations though, you might actually be very surprised that no one knows for sure where the phrase about a cat’s nine lives comes from. While all educated guesses say that it came from the greatness of the cat and the number 9 in old Egypt, it has not been proven. To this day there is still a great mystery about the phrase of a cat’s nine lives, and where it actually came from.
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