THE HISS-TORICAL CAT: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS RESEARCHER’S NEW BOOK CHRONICLES CATS THROUGH THE AGES

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The approach of Halloween conjures a host of superstitions, but there’s one fear you can lay to rest this year - that black cat crossing your path might not be a sign of bad luck. In fact, the black cat was once revered and still retains its reputation as a lucky omen in parts of northern Europe.

So says a University of Arkansas researcher whose latest book traces the history of the cat from its wild ancestry in ancient Egypt to its current status as a household pet. Along the way, the author explains the origins of many myths that continue to make the contemporary cat an enigmatic creature.

"I set out to write a book on public health," said Dr. Donald Engels, associate professor of history. "Through the course of my research, I found that a major factor of human health through the ages has been the presence of the domesticated cat. Its impact on human history reaches far beyond its current role as companion."

The resulting 250-page book, entitled "Classical Cats," will appear in Britain this month, published by Routledge. American readers will find the book on shelves this November. In December, a review of the book will appear in the New York Times Literary Supplement.

Despite the fact that Engels found history littered with feline references, his book is the first to compile information about the coexistence of man and cat into a complete narrative.

According to the book, modern domesticated cats descend from the African Libyan wildcat, which inhabited the Nile Valley just as ancient Egyptians began founding agricultural communities in 4000 B.C. Unlike the feral cats of Europe and Asia, the African breed welcomed human contact.

The rise of an agricultural economy necessitated the storage of surplus crops. As grain bins filled, rats followed, congregating closer to human populations than ever before. And cats, a natural predator of rodents, also moved into the human sphere. Early Egyptians quickly came to appreciate the feline presence, said Engels.

"One black rat has the potential to destroy 1,000 pounds of grain per year. It will eat 90 pounds but damage another 900 with its feces and urine. The presence of one cat on a farm could mean the difference between starvation and prosperity for a family," he said.

The predatory success of the cat - each capable of killing up to 1,100 rodents per year - may also have meant the difference between sickness and health.

Rats can carry any of 35 potentially fatal diseases, including bubonic plague and typhus. Engels proposes that the distribution of domesticated cats through central Europe delayed the outbreak of plague for more than 12 centuries.

The black rat - which is the main agent of transmission for bubonic plague - had been present in Europe since the first century, said Engels. Yet no major epidemics broke until the Black Death in 1347, partly because cats kept the rodent population in check.

Engels cites this as one example in which animals have influenced the course of human history.

"We have a tendency to view history as though humans exist in a vacuum. But examining the interactions between humans and other animals lends a new complexity to our understanding of events," he said. "I tell my students never to underestimate the power of the little things - the plow, the flea, the cat."

Another situation in which cats have shaped human history is through their associations with women. Engels explains that since their earliest interactions, cats and women have shared a sympathetic bond. The tremendous fertility of cats made them symbols of motherhood and family life. In addition, the early Egyptians associated cats with popular female deities such as Bastet and Isis.

"The earliest Egyptians worshipped the forces of nature. As households acquired cats, it was soon noticed that those families had more food, fewer illnesses and deaths," said Engels. "Theybegan to view the cat as the embodiment of a divine force or spirit that protected families from famine, disease and hardship."

The idea that goddesses could become incarnate in the form of a cat spread through the Roman Empire and remained a popular pagan belief into the Middle Ages. However with the rise of Christianity, this notion became demonized, and cats - along with their female owners - were slaughtered in great numbers.

"During the height of the Inquisition, merely possessing a cat was enough to get a woman tortured and burned," said Engels. "That remained the case until the 1850s, when 'witches’ were still being hunted and killed."

Despite this persecution, many people secretly preserved their pagan beliefs, enabling much of the original cat mythology to resurface after the Inquisition. The perceived bond between women and cats has survived into modern culture - as has the lucky nature of black cats in northern Europe and the notion of the cat’s divine origins.

Ancient Egyptians worshipped Atum-Ra, a solar god that could be embodied in the form of a cat. According to the myth, Atum-Ra represented the creator of divinity.

"Hymns sung to the creator cat say, 'I am one that becomes two. I am two that becomes four. I am four that becomes 8. And I am one besides.’ It’s the origin of a cat’s nine lives," explained Engels.

Another popular image - that of the cat and fiddle - stems from the cat’s association with another Egyptian deity. Statues of the goddess Bastet often portray her in feline form, holding a viol-shaped instrument.

Though the haughty demeanor of modern-day cats still hints of their divine status, Engels remains a kind skeptic.

"Some people actually believe that cats preserve a memory of the Egyptian temples where they were worshipped by millions. I think that’s a creative way to explain the animal’s behavior - why they act like they deserve everything," he said. "It may be the case that we owe cats a debt, but good food and a sunny window are probably enough to repay it."

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