The proverb that started it all is: “A cat has nine lives. Three are spent playing, three are spent wandering, and the last three are spent staying put.”
As with most tales that are passed down by word of mouth, there is no evidence of when or where this famous saying first appeared. However, William Shakespeare was already familiar with it, as he mentions it in his play Romeo and Juliet, written in 1597: “Nothing but one of your nine lives, venerable king of cats!” Therefore, it can be argued that this myth dates back to before the end of the 16th century and may have an even older origin.
It is important to note that not all nations believe that the most popular pet has nine lives. For example, in Southern Europe, Germany and Austria, the belief about seven cat lives is widespread, and the Arabs and Turks reduce this number to six.
The legendary vitality of cats is also reflected differently in the folklore of different nations. For example, Dahl's “Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language” cites a single proverb on this subject: “The cat is plagued by the ninth death, it is tenacious.”
Another famous old English expression is: “A woman has nine lives, like a cat.”
The widespread beliefs in the world about the incredible vitality of cats are not accidental. Like any predator, these animals have well-developed vision, hearing, and sense of smell. The myth about the extraordinary vitality of a cat can also be associated with its ability to “control” the manifestation of its own disease for a long time.
In general, a cat is a complex natural object with a very delicate mechanism that regulates life processes. Life has not spoiled her, and natural selection has brought every part of her body, all her senses, to perfection.
Thus, their visual acuity is six times greater than that of a human, while their viewing angle is almost 190°, which is one and a half times wider than a human’s!
In addition, cats have developed regeneration of the body, which is expressed in the rapid healing of wounds. Let's not forget about the healing effect of cat purring. The unique vestibular apparatus of the cat helps it to turn around the axis of its own body in flight, so the cat always falls on springy paws.
Despite this, it still seems incredible that cats rarely survive even fatal falls for humans. It is not surprising that during the process of domestication of these animals, the belief arose that they are bewitched or live several lives. Unfortunately, the truth is simple. The unique abilities of cats are far from always a salvation and our furry friends are the same as us – fragile mortals.
