We all know the age old saying ‘cats have nine lives,’ but is there any truth behind it? And where does this saying come from in the first place? Cats seem to be able to fall from heights and land on their feet unscathed, but do cats really have a better chance of survival than other species?
Do cats really have nine lives?
Posted by PetDirect on 2nd Nov 2020
The origin of the saying
Shakespeare refers to cats having nine lives in Romeo and Juliet:
Tybalt: What wouldst thou have with me?
Mercutio: Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives.
There is also an ancient proverb that claims “A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays and for the last three he stays.”
Others believe that this saying refers to a cat’s ability to always land on their feet. They are, after all, known for their agility and dexterity.
Author Linda Ruggeri says “the number nine itself has been a mystical number for centuries. 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".
Others believe the saying stems back to Egyptian times, as they used to worship our feline friends.
Do cats actually have nine lives?
Sadly, no. Cat’s have only one life, just like us. However, they are probably one of the most unique animals out there. They can withstand falls and other serious accidents without being fatally wounded. This is due to their anatomy:
- They have a large surface area compared to their weight – reducing the force of landing
- Cats have evolved to live in trees and therefore have adapted to conquer falls
- Their ‘righting reflex’ enables them to twist their bodies and land safely on their feet
- Cats have flexibility in their bones and ligaments, which help them to sustain minimal injury from many different accidents
Can cats cheat death?
While cats are an incredibly intelligent and agile animal, there is no scientific evidence to prove that they have nine lives. As far as we know, our feline friend have just the one life on earth. So there we have it, cats having nine live is no more true than the black cat superstition.
If you have any questions about keeping your cat happy and healthy don't hesitate to reach out to one of Pet Direct's Customer Service Experts on 0800 200 240.