About Bubastis

The Egyptians considered cats to be sacred, and worshipped the Cat Goddess Bast, daughter of the Sun God Ra and protector of cats, women and children. Bast's center of worship was the city of Bubastis, east of the Nile delta. In the 22nd dynasty (about 950 BCE), she became an immense power in Egypt when the Pharaohs embraced her as a national goddess.

Home

Here at Bubastis Cat Sanctuary, our goal is to provide a safe haven for threatened, abused, and/or homeless cats. Besides shelter, food and water, we provide veterinary care for the sick and injured, spaying/neutering for adults, and a nurturing environment for all. We do not have a shelter facility; there are just two of us doing all the work here at our home.  All cats and kittens have the run of the house once they have been tested negative for Feline Leukemia and FIV and have received their vaccinations. Given our situation, we can only house a limited number of cats at any time, but we are always ready to assist in placing any cat we can't personally take in. 

At this time, we are limited to working with friendly, "handle-able", non-feral cats. We can provide information to those looking for assistance in caring for ferals, but we cannot take them in. We also cannot take in cats that have tested positive for FIV or Feline Leukemia, but again, we can provide information and direction. We can take in abandoned or orphaned kittens needing bottle feeding.

In addition, we strive to educate the community about the need for responsible pet ownership, including sterilization and vaccination, as well as promoting a no-kill, no-declaw future for cats everywhere.

~Susan Guerth, Bubastis Cat Sanctuary

The cat first appeared around 3000 BCE in Nubia, which bordered Egypt. Egypt later conquered Nubia and by 2500 BCE, the cat was domesticated in Egypt.

The word for cat in ancient Egyptian was 'Mau'. They held the cat in the highest esteem; its status evolved rapidly and it was eventually thought of as the guardian of the temple and was worshipped as a goddess. The earliest feline Egyptian goddess recorded was Mafdet, usually depicted as a large cat, such as a panther, cheetah or leopard. The Egyptians had other feline Goddesses, such as the lioness-headed Sekhmet, but only Bast was represented by the domesticated cat. Bast, a beneficent and kindly Goddess, was the daughter of Isis and Ra, and was goddess of the Sun (It was believed that the glow from a cat's eyes held captive the light of the sun), the Moon, fertility, wisdom, and love. Bast protects her subjects from evil spirits. She is blessed with the powerful ability to heal. One version of her name, "Pasht," might have given rise to the English term "Puss."

Bast was usually depicted as the seated Sacred Cat, often holding the sacred rattle known as the sistrum, with gold jewelry in her nose, ears and around her neck. When she took on her half-feline, half-human form, she was known as Bastet. In this form she is often seen holding in her left hand an amulet of the all-seeing sacred eye, the Utchat, believed to have magical powers. It was often depicted as being the eye of a cat, sometimes with cats within the eye itself. An Utchat at the door kept a watchful eye out for thieves and vandals, protecting the home, and kept a watchful eye over all who dwelt within, preserving them from disease and accident. An Utchat worn around the neck kept its watchful eye upon the road and protected travelers from harm.