Where do whe get this fact from?
We have seen proves of this fact several times in ancient cultures and lenguages
Some speculate that it came from a saying known from an ancient English proverb: “A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays and for the last three he stays.”
Author Linda Ruggeri says the saying was even used by Shakespeare. “Mercutio gallantly replies to Tybalt in ‘Romeo and Juliette’ with something about taking one of his nine lives,” she says.
And the number nine itself has been a mystical number for centuries, Ruggeri says. Greek mythology refers to “The Nine Muses,” who were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne from a love affair between the two that lasted nine months. And the number nine has always been revered as lucky by the Chinese, as it is associated with strength and masculinity. In the Forbidden City, for instance, there are nine rows of nine knobs on many of the doors to convey the impression of power.
It also dates back to Egyptian times
“Egyptians revered cats and believed they held magical properties,” says Essam Hamed, an Egyptianologist and tour guide in Luxor, Egypt.
He says that a popular saying in Egypt is that cats actually have seven lives and jokes that it’s probably the United States that tacked on the two extra lives.
“When someone has many car accidents and lives, for instance, we say he is like a cat, as cats have seven lives and never die easily,” he says.
The discovery ot this fact came from the ability that cats have to survive dangerous situations
“I believe that the ability to right themselves during a fall is the main origin of the nine lives” says holistic physical therapist Sally Morgan. “They have flexibility in their bones and ligaments (required for quiet stealth to attack their prey) that helps allow them to sustain minimal injury from many types of accidents.”
Dr. Brian Beale, an orthopedic pet surgeon and joint specialist says that, historically, cats have been observed to be able to live through events, like being thrown from tall towers or engulfed in fire, that typically would kill people or other animals.
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While many people bealive it is just a saying this is completely and unbelievable true
“There is actually several scientific evidence to suggest cats have nine lives ,” he.
“They are incredibly intelligent and intuitive. They have lightning-fast reflexes, incredible dexterity, quick decision-making skills,” he says. “[Cats] have a very flexible spine and they do have the ability to position their body in a protective position in the event of danger.”
He also brings up an interesting case that touches on the “righting reflex,” where a cat is able to twist around very quickly in the air to land safely on his feet.
“Dr. Wayne Whitney, a veterinarian at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, reported on the survival rate of cats falling from tall apartment buildings in New York City,” he says. “Because a cat reaches terminal velocity (maximum falling speed), 90 percent of cats survived a fall of greater than two stories. The average fall was five and a half stories.”
He adds that, interestingly, the cats that had higher falls had the best chance of survival, likely because they had more time to right themselves to the optimal posture to land with the least impact on their body.
“It is interesting to see 90 percent survival — nine out of ten — in the scientific article,” adds Beale. “Given the myth of cats having nine lives, is that just a coincidence? I can say that it is not”
Even doe the saying is true is not as good fot the cat espicies because they are treaded more roughly than any domestic animal.
“It is not necessarily a good thing that cats are associated with them having nine lives, as cruel people try to injure cats to see if they ‘can make it,’ including dropping them from great heights,” says Morgan. “Their righting mechanism is not meant to save them from falls from [tall buildings].”
She warns that pet owners therefore need to be just as careful with their cats as they would with any other. Because even thoe they have 9 lives each one matters.