WORKING CATS THROUGHOUT HISTORY

REAL CATS HELPING THEIR HUMANS!

This cat is cleverly finding the right color for her mistress’s work. (And you thought she was playing?) Today I’m sharing with all of you some moments throughout history when cats have proven useful to their humans. However, please read to the end of this post for a word of warning regarding vacuum cleaners and pets.

When I saw the above ad from decades ago I knew I had to delve into the history of working cats!

Cats stretching their limbs, claw-catching (whatever needs catching), and using their many senses to detect areas humans have missed. I hope you enjoy these paw prints from the past.

Remember, cats have been working for humans for thousands of years: from chasing and killing rats to accepting employment as temple guards.

An ancient story from Egypt demonstrates a cat wielding her knife to kill the snake that threatened the Sun God Ra!

For centuries farm workers have appreciated the help of cats. Even rewarding them with a bit of milk.

Barns and homes need constant cleaning.

To this day, cleaning fish remains a favorite task for cats.

And sewing? Simply endless. Following the raising of sheep, there is wool to be spun, fabric to be sewn, clothes to be mended. It’s enough to make your paws hurt just thinking about it.

Did I mention the baby? The purring of cats is a known asset to humans. Studies have demonstrated a benefit when both felines themselves and humans are lulled by the low frequency and gentle humming of a cat’s purr. (Please obtain expert advice regarding your pets and young children.)*

Rats! The history of feline domestication may have begun with the presence of rats invading food stores. Early people who adapted to an agrarian culture soon realized the value of cats. The ancient Egyptians may have selectively bred wild felines for their predatory talents and later they even worshipped their sweeter descendants.

As you can see these cats are busy greeting customers and encouraging sales.

These are a few fun examples from the past, but I will write about real cat heroes in another post: those pets, both cats, dogs and birds who have saved many a family from fire, flood and other disasters.

**NOTE: I was inspired to write this post due to watching recent cat videos. Pet owners film and share their pets enjoying a moment with the vacuum cleaner hose. Obviously, we only see those cats who seem to enjoy the air massage, the tugging on their furry bodies. But many cats are frightened by the noise of the vacuum and will simply hide. We don’t often see those unfortuante moments.

Because the vacuum suction on a small body with small organs raised questions in my mind, I did a little research. A general rule of thumb is that pet owners avoid the loud and powerful vacuum cleaners. Quieter motors are probably less frightening in general, but some pets can be traumatized if they can’t escape. However, it is advisable to avoid your cat’s head and especially eyes and ears! I will leave it at that, with the suggestion, if you have questions, to learn more from your own sources of advice and observation.

Thank you for reading and subscribing to More Cats, Please!

CREDITS:

*Cats, Young Children and more: Healthline

**Cats and Vacuum Cleaners: Keyword search suggestions with various combinations: pets and vacuum cleaners safety, injuries, cat tails, robotic vacuums, etc. though incidents may be few, please be aware of the potential unhealthy situations with any tools, devices and machinery. One pet owner even asked if it was ok to leave a Roomba moving through the house with unsecured pets and with no humans at home.

PHOTOS from top: Commons.wikimedia.org

Florence: Binder label: Thread Title: "Florence." The soft finish, peerless knitting silk. [front] Created/Published: Chicago : Shober & Carqueville Litho. Co. Date issued: 1870 - 1900 (approximate) Boston Public Library

La vraie machine à faire le ménage c'est. Date unknown.

Tomb of Inher-khou. burial chamber, western part of the ceiling. 12th-11th century BC

Cat killing a snake in front of the iched tree (illustration from chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead). Deir el-Medina. New Kingdom. c. 1550 BCE

Interior of a Barn with a Milkmaid and Farm Labourer. 1850.Benjamin Marshall (1768-1835)

Die kleine Helferin. Little Helper. Sophie Gengembre Anderson. (1823-1903)

Woman Cleaning a Fish, with a cat. Gabriel Metsu. 1629-1667)

Woman sewing and cat. Vincent Van Gogh. (1853-1890)

The Visit to the Nursery, Jean Honoré Fragonard.1775. * (1732-1806)

Cats and Rats: A scan of the book. Valentine, Laura - Aunt Louisa’s Nursery Favourite Book, 1870.

Whispering Winds Nursery. 2023. Sarah Stierch 03

Mews and views for the Curious Cat Lover is in production for an upcoming paperback release. Please visit my website. Felineonline.net for updates and purchase options.(This title is currently available as an Ebook from several online book vendors.) Thank you for your support!

Cover design and original cover and interior illustrations by Tamara Clark.

With assist from Generative AI for stained glass window.