<P> The earliest evidence of felines as deities comes from a c. 3100 BC crystal cup decorated with an image of the cat - headed goddess Mafdet . The goddess Bastet was originally depicted as a fiercely protective and warlike lioness, like Sekhmet, but as Bastet's image "softened" over time, she became more strongly associated with domestic cats . </P> <P> As cats were sacred to Bast, the practice of mummification was extended to them, and the respect that cats received after death mirrored the respect with which they were treated in everyday life . The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that in the event of a fire, men would guard the fire to make certain that no cats ran into the flame . Herodotus also wrote that when a cat died, the household would go into mourning as if for a human relative, and would often shave their eyebrows to signify their loss . </P> <P> Diodorus Siculus describes an interesting example of swift justice imposed upon the killer of a cat: about 60 BC, he witnessed a Roman accidentally kill an Egyptian cat . An outraged mob gathered and, despite pleas from pharaoh Ptolemy XII, killed the Roman . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section does not cite any sources . Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (December 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Penalty for killing a cat in ancient egypt
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