Thu. July 5, 2007

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Hunky: .Today's history lesson is Ancient Egypt. If you were a cat there, you had it made.

Dorie: ..Those Egyptians folks had huge fields and huge storehouses of grain. And mice. They had lots of mice.

Hunky: .The cats would just hang out at the grainery and pick off mice with ease, so cats were given God status for protecting the food. Cats were cherished and appreciated.

Dorie: ..Any Egyptian who caused the death of a cat was also put to death. If a cat died naturally, it was mourned with the same rituals afforded any family member. They were mummified and buried in huge cat cemeteries.

Hunky: .Just for catching mice. Heh, we would've done that anyway. But those Egyptian folks knew how to say thanks.

Dorie: ..The cat was so honored that the rich throughout the civilized world had to have one, but it was expressly forbidden in Egypt to sell, give or otherwise pass off a cat to an "outsider." So a black market in cats sprung up.

Hunky: .The Phoenician gypsy merchants, who were credited with spreading a written language throughout the civilized world, are also credited with spreading cats around the civilized world as beloved housepets.

Dorie: ..Kinda makes a cat proud; just thought you'd like to know.