I come from a cat loving family. A house is never a home until a cat joins the household. They lend dignity and warmth and grace us with their beauty.

I have been reading a book about cats, "The Secret Life of Cats", written by Robert Laroche and Jean Labat. They trace cats back to 6700 B. C. where cat remains were found in Jericho. We are all familar with the cat Goddess, Bastet
that the Egyptians worshiped.

In 945 A.D Howard the Good, a Welsh King passed laws safe guarding cats and I am quoting the following:

"The price of a kitten before it can see is one penny. If it has caught a mouse, its value is raised to twopence and afterward to fourpence. If anyone should steal or slay the cat guarding the royal granary, he shall be compelled to either forfeit an ewe or as much wheat as will cover the cat when suspended by the tail"

The cat Bastet was thought to have sprung from the moon. She had her own temple at Per Bast in the Nile delta. I have always wanted to name one of my cats Bastet.

I think different color cats have different personalities.
Black cats are extremely loyal and affectionate, while the
Siamese cats, (my favorites) are more like small panthers and are usually one person cats. My China is a case in point. She goes under the bed when there is a stranger in the house. She has to have her play in the morning, accompanied by hissing and Siamese curses. Legend has it that Siamese were placed on the palace wall as guards and were taught to jump on the heads of intruders.

Remember the Cheshire cat in "Alice in Wonderland"? He disappeared and his smile was the last to vanish. Cats are so enigmatic and charming that it is no wonder that all kinds of sayings and legends grow up around them.

China never ceases to display her complete contempt for Rex.
He thinks she still has her claws and is leary of her but if her back is turned, he likes to lick her, which she detests. It is amusing to watch a l00 pound dog shrink from a very small cat.