cats have 9 lives. do you believe it?
By tudors
@tudors (1556)
China
February 15, 2009 2:07am CST
Why does a cat have 9 lives? not 8 or 10? Historians say it is because the number 9 has been a mystical and religious symbol for centuries a number often reffered to when talking about gods.
The Christian faith is based upon God represented in a trinity--- Father, Son and Holy spirit. 9 is a trinity of trinities. The Nordic god Odin gave his female counterpart Freja absolute rule over nine worlds. The hour that Jesus Christ died upon the cross was believed to have been the ninth hour of that sacred day.
The cat's elevation to divinity in many societies made 9 an appropriate number. The added fact that the cat's remarkable agility let her escape harm from falls that would have killed any other creature also convinced willing believers that the cat had been granted additional lives. The first recoreded mention of that notion goes all the way back to India more than 3 centuries before the birth of Christ, when it was written by a scribe named Bidpai.
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1 response
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
15 Feb 09
so you did a good study of the 9's mystery eh, tudors? you have given a good insight into this number as regards the superstitions and beliefs that hover above it.
well, we all know that cats do not get harmed from falls which could have otherwise killed other animals because, of the bone structure and the way their muscles came to be. they could very easily maneuver while still in the air such that they always land on their four feet unharmed, calmly and softly.
as to why it is nine lives that was attributed to them, i used to hear people say that it is because, it means that their lives is endless as it could never reach ten being always enjoying their ninth in all the falling accidents that they are involved with.
by the way that you have presented it in your discussion, this explanation which stuck to my mind, was truly beaten. yours is a much credible one.
