Research overview: Egyptian cat veneration and mummified cat industry

This overview surveys what is known about cats in ancient Egypt, where they were associated with the goddess Bastet and produced in vast numbers as votive mummies. Excavations at sites such as Bubastis and Saqqara have yielded enormous animal cemeteries, and analyses of mummified remains reveal mostly young cats, suggesting purpose-bred temple populations killed for offerings. Researchers examine the tension between reverence and large-scale sacrifice, the husbandry implied by breeding colonies, and the contribution of the Egyptian maternal lineage to the later spread of cats around the Mediterranean. The picture is one of cats embedded in religion, economy and daily life, but firm quantitative claims about population sizes and dates remain contested and depend on continuing osteological and isotopic study.