When we hear the word cat, images of a cute, purring, affectionate creature immediately appear in our minds. Meanwhile, the most affectionate domestic cat more than once ran away from her loving owner through an open window from the 5th floor, causing a lot of anxiety and excitement. And then relief... when she returned safe and sound after her triumphant escape. And the thought immediately popped into my head: it’s good that a cat has 9 lives.
Fact or fiction? Read on!
English literature
Some believe that this belief comes from an English proverb that says: “A cat has nine lives. She plays the first three, wanders around for the next three, and stays for the last three.” In fact, this proverb rather describes the life cycle of an animal - childhood, growing up and aging. She has taken root very well among the people. And people really began to believe that cats have nine lives.
This myth also appears in Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. In the third act, Mercutio says to Tybalt: “Good king of cats, only one of your nine lives.”
"Scientific" reasons
Many people have talked about the survivability of cats. In the age of modern technology, the behavior and skills of tailed animals were studied under the control of experts and serious equipment. It must be said that scientists managed to clarify all the issues... only the intuition and gift of foresight of cats remain mysteries.
Vestibular system and sense of balance
Felines have at their disposal a vestibular apparatus that is exceptionally efficient (compared to other animals and humans). This “equipment” allows the cat to instantly navigate in space if there is a sudden change in body position or a fall. Just starting to fall, the cat arches its back and turns over with its paws down. A few seconds later, the impact occurs, which is effectively absorbed, distributed to all four limbs.
The ability to control your body in free fall is instinctive. For example, a falling person flounders completely randomly. If a person was very tense during the fall, he may land on his head. If a child falls under the same conditions, he will fall head first, but:
- Children always instinctively group, but adults do not always do so.
- A child's brain is surrounded by fluid that absorbs shock; an adult does not have such protection.
- A child almost always puts out his arms when falling; adults do not always know their bearings.
So, if an adult falls from a decent height, he will most likely break his legs and damage his spine. The child will break his arms or hit his head (we do not take into account fatal cases). A cat can break all four legs, but it will protect its spine and internal organs. In addition, the supporting ligaments and muscles of the paws are quite elastic, so fractures are unlikely.
The higher the altitude, the greater the chance of survival
The greater the height from which a person falls, the greater the likelihood of his death. This is obvious, when falling, the internal organs are broken as they move by inertia. Studying the flight of cats has revealed their amazing ability: the greater the height of the fall (within reasonable limits), the greater the chance of survival. Here the explanations affect the physical properties of the body, which develops a maximum falling speed and no longer accelerates. Observations have shown that cats that fall from a height of 10–32 floors survive more often than tailed cats that fall from a lower height.
As mentioned above, this is not magic or a phenomenon - these are the laws of physics . Any falling body gains a certain speed (not to be confused with the speed of free fall). When the maximum falling speed is reached (for cats this is almost 100 km/h), the body begins to slow down its flight under the influence of air resistance . This condition only works if the shape of the body and its air flow are unchanged. That is why people floundering in the air fly faster, and parachutists, trained to control their bodies, do not make unnecessary movements.
This is interesting! A person in free fall picks up speed up to 200 km/h. That is, a cat is twice as likely to survive a fall from a great height.
How does a cat fall on its paws?
Beginners who come to parachute school begin their training by acquiring the skills of falling and landing. Yes, knowing how to land is more important than folding a parachute correctly. The fact is that if a person hits the ground and his body is tense, there is a high probability of breaking both legs. As the skydiver approaches the ground, he must bend his legs slightly and partially relax his muscles in order to land in a squatting position. Afterwards, inertia will push the body forward and the parachutist will be forced to run some distance (to slow down the inertial speed). For humans, the ability to stand on bent legs is a skill acquired during training, but cats can do this by nature.
The cat's body is tense only at the moment of the fall. An instant spasm of all muscles seems to turn the animal over in the air; in physics this law is called “conservation of angular momentum.” As soon as the paws are directed towards the ground, the animal relaxes and controls flight using the muscles of the spine and tail. By the way, bob-tailed cats also took part in observations and the conclusions showed that the presence or absence of a tail does not play a special role . When a cat falls, it instinctively spreads its paws to the sides, because the larger the body area, the stronger the air resistance. Already just before the ground, the cat puts its paws under itself in a half-bent position and the impact on the ground is absorbed by the whole body.
This is incredible! In a study of cat falls, it was found that paw fractures were more likely to occur in animals that fell from the 7th floor or below.
Do cats know the laws of conservation of energy?
After studying cat falling from the perspective of advanced and quantum physics, scientists came to the conclusion that cats can change their shape (shape in terms of energy, not silhouette).
According to the laws of physics, a body stops gaining speed in a fall if nothing is pushing it (this is obvious), and the body also slows down under the influence of air resistance. However, observations led scientists to the conclusion that some cats fell more slowly than they should have. When falling from 30 shocking levels or higher, the cat should hit the ground... but no, there are survivors, and there are many of them.
A parachutist who fell from the sky onto a plowed field shed some light on these guesses. The man survived and this was not a miracle, but something else. The number of fractures in a survivor exceeded the total number of bones in the human body! The vertebrae were cut with cracks, the ribs, legs and arms were broken into several parts, but the internal organs remained almost (!) intact. The skeleton in this case did not become a death trap, but served as a shock-absorbing reservoir.
It was amazing that this man walked out of the hospital on his own two feet, but what was even more surprising was his story published in the media. During the fall, the athlete had time to think, having made the only right decision, the man relaxed his whole body, or rather, tried to do it. Further, he felt a pleasant warmth in his muscles; his story included the phrase: “I became like liquid or like jelly, you know?” The survival of this athlete is directly related to the decision he made, the relaxed muscles are soft and they provide some cushioning...it was the jelly-like state that was achieved in the face of death that allowed him to avoid it.
However, back to cats, can these incredible creatures really change the structure of their bodies? The study of this issue showed that they can, and not only when falling from a height. Cats survive by surfacing abruptly from great depths or while in deep water . In such circumstances, a person's lungs would suffer from decompression or the brain, heart and blood vessels from a sharp drop in blood pressure.
Cat purring as a means of self-medication
Everyone knows that cats can purr, but few people think about how and why they do it. Purring has a certain frequency, and when studied, unexpected facts emerged. Purring heals, helps speed up the healing process of bones and relieves pain . With its purring, a cat can reach the subconscious of people suffering from mental problems. Purring is an amazing and little-studied phenomenon, only one thing can be said for sure - cats purr for a reason.
This is interesting! Absolutely all cats purr in one beat, but sound waves fluctuate between 27–44 Hz.
Cat's senses and abilities
Much is known about the independence, quick adaptation and incredible abilities of cats, but just as much is unknown. Zoologists can speak with confidence only about deeply studied skills, which include the perception of the cat’s world. By the way, very little is still known about the vision, dreams and power of premonition of cats.
We will proceed from those facts that are known and proven. Cats see well in the dark, and their eyes sparkle. No, these are not demonic properties, but structural features of the animal’s eyes. It is known that a cat's eyes are seven times more sensitive than human eyes, including in twilight and darkness . In pitch darkness, a cat, like a person, sees nothing. In order for the eyes to perceive information, even if it is weak, light must be reflected from objects, walls, etc.
Believe me, if you are placed in a room without light sources, you will be virtually helpless... although the functioning of your senses will be significantly enhanced. A cat caught in absolute darkness will rely on hearing, which is three times sharper than a human's. The cat easily determines the source of the sound, even if it was reflected by an obstacle. Another fact is that cats hear not only with their ears, but also with their eyes. Surprised? And this is a proven fact, the nerve endings in a cat’s eyes pick up sound waves and transform them, bringing the necessary information to the brain.
A cat's sense of smell is about fourteen times stronger than a human's . In addition to the nose, the cat detects odors using receptors located on the palate. That is why, when a cat sniffs, it can open its mouth and make strange grimaces. Where you cannot smell odors, the cat's brain registers a rich variety of them. Thanks to this skill, the cat can smell a silently approaching enemy in complete darkness.
Cultural meaning of the number 9
The number nine has special meaning in many cultures. In China, it is consonant with the word “durability”. There are 9 muses in Greek mythology. In early Christian culture, the number nine was considered lucky, as it represents a certain variation of the trinity (three times three).
Is there even a grain of truth in this myth?
Although cats have been deified in the past, and the number nine has special meaning in many cultures, these animals, of course, only have one life.
Why is a cat considered a special pet?
Cats have an excellent physique and perfect proportions, an ideal sense of balance, which are passed on genetically from generation to generation. Even small kittens are perfectly oriented in space, they have a well-developed sense of self-preservation and safety.
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What abilities help cats survive and adapt to their environment and live nine whole lives?:
- Intelligence . Experts and amateurs unanimously say that cats are smart and cunning creatures that perfectly understand not only animals, but also people. Representatives of many breeds are easy to train and educate.
- Adaptability . Cats quickly adapt to the conditions of the surrounding world, always finding food and warmth. A cat and a person can talk to each other, meowing, the cat answers people. Surprisingly, no other animal has a similar tool for communicating with people.
- Freedom . Cats are independent and independent animals, perhaps that is why they are endowed with nine lives. No other animal, returning to its natural habitat, will be able to find shelter and food so easily and quickly.
- Agility . The ideal ratio of muscle and bone proportions, as well as an excellent physique, help this animal perform acrobatic movements, climb trees, overcome obstacles, jump high and run fast.
- Deceptive appearance . The cute appearance of a cat is deceptive; at any moment the animal turns into a predator, attacks, scratches, and tears. Fights between cats are not uncommon, especially during mating season or over food.
By nature, a cat is a predator; this animal has all the necessary equipment for hunting and killing. Cat teeth are sharp and long, they leave deep puncture wounds that are difficult to treat and heal. Cat claws contain many pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms that can cause severe skin infections or fatal infections.
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Debunking the myth
Not all cultures believed that cats have nine lives. The number nine does not have any special meaning in all countries, so the number of mythical lives may vary from country to country. For example, in Arabic-speaking countries it is believed that these animals have six lives. In Spanish-speaking countries, as well as Italy, Brazil and Greece, they are believed to have seven lives. So this fact is not generally accepted, and therefore there is a high probability that it came from folklore.
In addition, there remains science, which has proven that cats, like other living creatures, have only one life. In October 2016, a study was published that found that the most common cause of death in cats is kidney failure. Animals over 15 years of age often suffer from kidney failure.
Mr. Cat Recommends: Cat Vitality
The number nine has been considered magical for centuries. In the texts of Pythagoras and his followers, it completes a series of numbers, which are then repeated an order of magnitude higher. It stands at the end and ends the path, giving peace and completeness. This number is difficult to understand; it contains a secret that attracts people so much.
This “misunderstanding” for people was the amazing survivability of cats, especially those that fell from multi-story buildings. It has been noticed that the lower the floor, the more likely the cat will die after a fall.
The thing is that pets have highly developed intuition. While flying from a high altitude, they have time to concentrate and group. Therefore, they are injured much less.
There are also historical facts when cats survived in the most tragic cases. Thus, in December 1964, the Dutch ship Tjoba suffered an accident while descending the Rhine. The crew managed to escape, but the cat that was on the ship was not found. After 8 days, the ship was raised to the surface. The team, gathering their belongings, discovered their beloved cat Jacob alive. He managed to survive thanks to the fact that he breathed the air remaining in the hold. The thing is that cats are naturally capable of self-healing. This happens at the moment when the cat begins to purr.
Scientists have recorded that the rumbling corresponds to an oscillation frequency from 22 to 44 Hertz, which promotes cell regeneration, and even fractures heal faster than usual. If a person needs several months for the bones of his leg to heal, then a cat needs only 2-3 weeks.
Scientific facts that make the myth still exist
And yet, many people continue to believe in this myth, because even if a cat falls from a great height, it can remain unharmed. Scientists have explained why this happens.
Cats have a special reflex that allows them to roll over in the air. During the fall, the body bends and twists, and the animal lands not on its back, but on its paws. This makes the landing softer.
In addition, cats have more vertebrae than humans. This makes them more flexible and therefore able to react instantly to dangerous situations.
And they are also very smart. Practicing veterinarian Cullen Dauchy shared that he has treated dogs for snakebites many times in his career, but has never seen a cat with this problem. They are too smart and neat.
Myths and legends about cats
At all times, cats, looking at their cute faces, have come up with various properties. It was believed that they could move in space at will. Apparently, this was the reason for their sudden appearance when they needed something, and the same sudden departure when they got what they wanted. People also noted the miraculous properties of cat saliva, which they used to lick their own wounds.
It was believed that they could move in space at will.
Nowadays it is almost impossible to meet a person with an indifferent attitude towards cats. Even the most callous and indifferent person has a feeling of pity and tenderness at the sight of a small homeless kitten. Despite their vitality, we should all treat our pets more carefully, pay attention to them, not leave windows and vents wide open, feed street animals and not pass by indifferently at the sight of a meowing cat. It's not their fault that they ended up on the street. It doesn’t matter how, by running away from home or because someone treated them like a toy and, after playing, threw them out into the street. Let's be kinder. And then in return we will receive much more, their devotion, affection, tenderness and cat love.
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Let's be kinder.
And then in return we will receive much more, their devotion, affection, tenderness and cat love. Watch an interesting video on this topic
Who is guilty?
This is a story about a cat, or rather a cat, who harasses a poor woman. This dirty little guy constantly misbehaves, but always gets away with it, and his owner gets the worst of it. One day this happened: a cat caught a sparrow on the balcony and, in order to enjoy it comfortably, dragged it onto the closet. The bird, not wanting to be eaten, struggled, screamed, and flew down, the cat following it! The owner of the living space and the cat intervened in this nightmare, caught the bird, which immediately, out of fright, “hit” her in the palm of her hand, grabbed the angry hunter and dragged the entire household to the balcony. The cat scratched, struggled, and finally grabbed the woman by the chin. She released the bird and released the animal. The result is this: the sparrow is safe, the predator is offendedly lapping up milk in the kitchen, and the woman is pecked, bitten and scratched, and even the house is a mess!
What kind of pranks cats are capable of! With such animals, life will become more varied and fun! Get a cat, you won't get bored!
Cult of the cat in ancient Egypt
Many, many years ago in Ancient Egypt, cats occupied a special place in the life of society. They were even considered a symbol of the sun, motherhood and fertility and were looked upon as messengers of the gods.
Cats served the pharaohs themselves, moving freely through their many palaces and receiving care on the same level as their owners. One legend of Ancient Egypt says that it was for good service that the sun god Ra gave cats 9 lives as a reward.
There were 27 main gods in the Egyptian pantheon, divided into 3 groups of 9 each. The number nine was endowed with a special magical meaning, which could also influence the emergence of the version about cats' lives.
But the most beautiful version can be considered the legend about the goddess of fertility named Bastet. It was customary to depict her in the guise of a graceful cat. In her earthly form, the goddess died and was reborn as many as 9 times, which is precisely the number of lives that were later given to cats.
Chance meeting
So, we suggest having fun by reading funny stories about cats. These animals are able not only to amuse with their behavior, but also to help arrange a person’s personal life. This is confirmed by the story about the black cat.
All superstitious people avoid crossing the road that this cunning beauty crossed. Many turn off and go a different route so as not to bring trouble upon themselves. But one girl was walking in an alley, the only one leading to her house, and then, as luck would have it, a mystical creature in the form of a black cat crossed her path. A man was walking towards her, and he also decided to slow down, hoping that the stranger would be the first to cross “that line.” So they approached the danger zone and stood for a long time, not daring to move forward. The man “took full responsibility”, but in return he invited the girl to go to a restaurant with him. After some time, the couple got married. Today they already have children, and they still remember the story about the cat who became their “matchmaker”! Thus superstition introduced two people.
"Cat First Aid Kit"
Are all cats endowed with the gift of healing? Scientists say that everyone, but their abilities depend on the breed and size. We suggest you familiarize yourself with what the most common and popular individuals can treat.
- The larger the cat, the more energy it has, and therefore it can treat almost all ailments.
- For a cat to be therapeutic, it must be friendly, outgoing, and mature.
- Long-haired pets, such as Persians, Burmese, Angoras, Siberians and the like, cope well with depression and treat neuroses.
- “Persians” relieve joint pain and treat osteochondrosis.
- Angoras are excellent at diagnosing disease and accurately determining the source of the disease.
- Hairless and short-haired cats heal diseases of the heart, liver and kidneys.
- The European Shorthair will relieve hypertension and minimize the risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Siamese representatives are somehow able to destroy bacteria in the house and are thus useful for the whole family. However, diseases will only be treated by their beloved owner.
- Cats with “plush” coats, such as British cats, cope well with heart ailments.
Experts note that cats are better at relieving joint pain and treating them. Cats help with neuroses and depression, and fight diseases of internal organs. Scientifically proven fact: people who have such animals live 4-5 years longer than those who do not have this pet!
Perhaps cats can heal with their warmth, because their body temperature is 2-3 degrees higher than the temperature of people. But this remains a mystery of nature and the mystery of the cat itself!
Ancient Rome and the goddess Diana
In the beliefs of the ancient Romans, there was an analogue of the Greek goddess Artemis, whose name was Diana. She was the patroness of the forests, who had the gift of turning into a black fluffy cat.
According to legend, Diana was accompanied everywhere by a representative of the cat family. And the ancient Romans identified the goddess herself with the Moon.
As you know, her year lasted nine months, during which the celestial body disappeared from the sky and was reborn on it the same number of times. Over time, this belief was associated with the number of cat lives.
Is it true that cats heal people?
Nowadays, people often suffer from depression, fatigue and various diseases of the internal organs. Poor nutrition, the environment, lack of rest, and workload also have an impact. Stroking a cat and its purring calms them down and relieves fatigue, and this is noted by all cat owners. With its warmth it warms, gives a feeling of calm, tranquility, and by caressing its legs or hand, the animal shows that it needs its owner and is very loved. This is why single women almost always have a cat or even several. But can they treat real diseases?
It is a proven fact that cats are endowed with the gift of recognizing and processing human energy. They know where the owner’s pain is (even if the person himself does not know this, because the pain of a diseased organ is not always physically felt), they lie down on this place and draw out the disease. Thus, they mostly treat heart ailments and stomach diseases. The cat takes away the pain from the person and often gets the same disease itself, and there are many documented cases. For example, there is a story about a cat who saved its owner, who was hopelessly ill with cancer. The man recovered, but a tumor formed on her pussy, and she soon died.
Norse mythology
Scandinavian legends tell about the beautiful goddess Freya, the patroness of passion and love, fertility and spring. This incredible girl perfectly embodied the feminine grace and strength of a brave warrior.
The god Thor himself gave her a chariot drawn by two huge wild cats. It was these animals that were considered Freya's messengers. Therefore, farmers who wanted to appease their patroness always left milk as a gift for her cats.
The goddess Freya was considered the ruler of the nine worlds. It is with this number that the number of cat lives is associated.
Medieval Europe: Witches' Companions
If in Greece, Italy and Scandinavia cats were revered and even idolized, then medieval Europe had a diametrically opposite attitude towards these animals. They were considered servants of the devil who always accompanied witches. For this they were mercilessly exterminated and burned.
Medieval church ministers accused cats of what would seem like complete nonsense in the modern world: long claws, the ability to see in the dark, “burning” eyes and a blood-curdling meow were considered characteristic features of devilish creatures. At the same time, they were “charged” with a silent gait and the ability to appear and disappear from nowhere to nowhere.
And since the famous medieval treatise “The Hammer of the Witches,” which tells about demonology and the proper methods of persecuting them, details the ability of witches to turn into black cats 9 times throughout the entire essence of their existence, it is absolutely not surprising that these animals were credited with the ability to experience the same number of lives.
Thief
A funny story was written by one man. He told about his cat, who did not sit at home with his paws folded, but helped his owners replenish supplies. We took our pet with us to the dacha. During the season, when the harvest was already beginning to appear and could be harvested, household members began to find vegetables in the morning at the front door: cucumbers, unripe tomatoes. For a long time they could not understand what virtue was feeding them, because their harvest was in place. One day, a man noticed that a cat, having jumped over the fence into a neighbor’s garden, went straight to the greenhouse. The thief returned back with a small cucumber in his teeth. Of course, the neighbors were not told about this incident, but the grandmother decided to punish the bandit by spanking him with a slipper for hooliganism. The cat did not appreciate such a gesture, and to this day no one can find grandma’s slippers. Only one cat knows where they can be!
