Why do cats have 9 lives?

brandyleigh

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When did people begin this idea of cats having nine lives? It makes sense that they should be born equipped more than one life. After all, they are extremely curious and extremely clumsy.Anyone have any ideas?
 

lonelocust

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I know the idea comes from how cats are able to for example fall from large distances and often be OK. The older original form of the saying was "A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays and for the last three he stays." The idea of cats having multiple lives appears in other cultures as well, but the exact number varies. Presumably they all come from cats' apparently death-defying reflexes, but the sayings are so old that it's hard to pin it down to a very specific origin.
 
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pegleg

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I don't know if it's the same in all Spanish speaking countries but in Spain they say cats have seven lives.

What happened to the other two I don't know.
 

Kat0121

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From reference.com

FULL ANSWER


The root of the ancient Egyptian emphasis on the number nine is related to the sun god Atum-Ra. This god was supposed to be able to take on a cat's form, and, because he was said to have given birth to eight other gods, Atum-Ra represented the concept of nine lives in a single being. In China, the number nine is considered lucky because of how well divided it is, representing three groups of three. There are other cultures that believe that cats have multiple lives, but the number value does not always equal nine, indicating that the myth is probably simply related to a cat's superior ability to survive falls.
 

meowsaremusic

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They're also loaded with those handy cat like reflexes, allowing them to escape danger quickly and efficiently. Although... The most danger my cats encounter is the Great Vacuum Wars -_- lol
 
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