It comes as no surprise that everyone who has a cat is thoroughly obsessed with them. They’re fluffy, adorable, and just menacing enough to keep you on your toes. That is, until you ignore their protests and kiss their little snouts while they paw at you to stop, and yes, I’m speaking from experience, because who hasn’t done that?
In fact, humans have been their cats’ loyal servants for over 9,500 years, and we still haven’t changed our ways. That’s right, archaeologists discovered a wild cat buried in a Neolithic grave in Cyprus, carefully laid to rest beside its human companion. Way before Pharaohs came into the picture.
It might come as a surprise that, although Egyptians are known for being history’s biggest cat lovers, the earliest evidence of humans being obsessed with these furballs actually comes much earlier than we might think. Still, it’s easy to see why Egyptians became the ultimate cat fans: they literally worshipped them.
Historians say it's because of their devotion to Bastet, the cat-headed goddess of home, fertility, and protection, that Egyptian culture began to worship cats. But they weren’t just worshipped from afar; they also lived alongside humans as pets, often helping to protect crops from mice, strengthening the belief that cats were symbols of protection and fertility.
In fact, the Egyptians’ obsession with cats basically led to the Stone Age version of memes. That’s right: while you’re now scrolling through hilarious cat tweets on a tiny screen that fits in your hand, some of the earliest cat jokes were carved into stone as hieroglyphics and sketches.
One limestone drawing discovered by archaeologists proved that viral humor really does transcend time. The ancient “cat meme,” which dates back around 3,000 years, depicts two cats acting like humans as a form of satire. Think of it as the ancient equivalent of a TikTok going viral — and honestly, it was probably a huge hit among cat lovers back then… which, let’s be real, was basically everyone.
It’s actually much harder not to fall in love with cats than it is to dislike them, which is why people always say you can’t truly understand cats until you’ve had one. And honestly, there’s some science behind that, experts say. As soon as you start sharing your daily life with a cat, your brain gets a boost of oxytocin, also known as the “bonding hormone.”
So when you pet your cat or hold them close, oxytocin is released in both your body and your cat’s, creating feelings of trust, comfort, and security. That bonding experience also triggers dopamine and serotonin, the chemicals linked to happiness and well-being, which is why spending time with a cat can feel so comforting for both of you.
Plus, it will lead to some good purring sessions that are healing for both you and your kitty. That's right, scientists actually discovered that a cat's purring stimulates bone growth, reduces swelling, and heals muscles. So a cat, by purring, is essentially self-healing to keep their muscles strong while it's sedentary.
Luckily for us, those same vibrations can also have a calming effect on humans. So when your cat is lying on top of you, purring loudly while aggressively making biscuits directly on your internal organs, they’re technically helping both of you relax. Well, that said, what cat joke do you have to share with us today? Let us know!
