The Pets of Ancient Egypt

By: Claire and Ileana

Did the Ancient Egyptians have Did the Ancient Egyptians have pets?pets?

Yes, they did have Yes, they did have pets. Ancient pets. Ancient Egyptians had falcons, Egyptians had falcons, geese, ducks, turtle geese, ducks, turtle doves, gazelles, lions, doves, gazelles, lions, monkeys, mongeese, monkeys, mongeese, cats, and dogs.cats, and dogs.

Sacred animals Sacred animals

In ancient Egypt, In ancient Egypt, many animals were many animals were associated with associated with gods:gods:

Cat: BastetCat: Bastet Cow: HathorCow: Hathor Falcon\Hawk: HorusFalcon\Hawk: Horus Baboon/Ibis: ThothBaboon/Ibis: Thoth Jackal/Dog/Fox: AnubisJackal/Dog/Fox: Anubis Ram: KhnumRam: Khnum Bull: ApisBull: Apis Crocodile: SobekCrocodile: Sobek

Cats were SpecialCats were SpecialCats were pets, hunting partners, and Cats were pets, hunting partners, and

sacred animals. many women were sacred animals. many women were named “Mayet” which might have named “Mayet” which might have meant “kitty”. Cats were better meant “kitty”. Cats were better hunters than mongeese, because hunters than mongeese, because they were lighter and could climb they were lighter and could climb delicate branches. Some cats had delicate branches. Some cats had coffins and were mummified, and coffins and were mummified, and the punishment for hurting a cat was the punishment for hurting a cat was death. The Egyptians believed that death. The Egyptians believed that cats had magical powers and cats had magical powers and protected homes and children from protected homes and children from danger. Cats weren’t named though, danger. Cats weren’t named though, only dogs were.only dogs were.

People liked dogs, too.People liked dogs, too.

Lots of Egyptians had dogs. Lots of Egyptians had dogs. They gave the dogs collars, They gave the dogs collars, and named them too, unlike and named them too, unlike cats. Dogs were mummified cats. Dogs were mummified and buried with their and buried with their owners. Some pictures show owners. Some pictures show dogs that looked like dogs that looked like greyhounds, others showed greyhounds, others showed dogs that looked like dogs that looked like mastiffs. Like today, there mastiffs. Like today, there were guard dogs and were guard dogs and hunting dogs.hunting dogs.

So yes, we know that they did have pets. We know So yes, we know that they did have pets. We know what kinds of pets they had, and why cats were what kinds of pets they had, and why cats were

special.special.

The end