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Cats in Mythology: Housecats, Jaguars, Leopards, Lions, and Tigers

© Josie Shadwell

Cats play a prominant role in many the mythology and folklore of many cultures. Here is a quick glance at some common feline themes.

• In Greek legend, Galenthias transforms into a cat to become a priestess of Hecate, the goddess of darkness.
• Ancient Rome considered the cat a symbol of liberty, and the goddess of Liberty usually had a cat at her feet.
• In Egypt, the goddess Bast (Bastet) was depicted with the head of a cat.
• In Celtic tales, the hero often fought Monster Cats.
• In Scandinavian myth, cats pulled the chariot of Freyja.
• The wildcat was a hunter god in some Amerindian myths, and was considered the younger brother of Coyote.
• The wildcat is the totem of one Australian Aboriginee tribe.
• The Hindu goddess of birth, Shosti, rides astride a cat.
• In Buddhism, the cat is said to be under a curse, as he and the snake did not weep at the death of Buddha.

• The jaguar was the Master of Animals in Central American mythology. It was the chief figure in Mayan rites, and sacrifices were made to the Jaguar God.
• The Aztec warrior god Tezcatlipoca is depicted as a jaguar.
• In Egypt, the leopard was an attribute of Osiris.
• In Greek myth, Dionysus rode leopards and used them to pull his chariot.
• In Africa, the leopard is a cult and totem animal, and an attribute of the storm god.
• In Hinduism, Shiva is sometimes pictured wearing a leopard skin, supposedly sent to him by jealous rivals who hoped it would destroy him.

Lions in Mythology 

• Cybele, mother goddess of Phrygia, drives a chariot drawn by lions. Cybele also changed the lovers Hippomenes and Atalanta into lions.
• Heracles (Hercules) strangled the Nemean Lion as one of his labours.
• The Roman goddess Juno drives a chariot pulled by lions.
• In Tibet, the lioness was an attribute of Tara.
• In Hinduism, the fourth avatar of Vishnu is a lion and represents Durga.
• Buddhism calls the lion the Defender of the Law, and Buddha, the "Lion of the Shakya," is sometimes seated on a lion throne.
• The Chinese immortal Chiu-shou was a lion that took human form and fought in their wars.
• Mari-Jata, founder of the Mali empire, was called "the Lion of Mali."

The copyright of the article Cats in Mythology: Housecats, Jaguars, Leopards, Lions, and Tigers in Wild Cats is owned by Josie Shadwell. Permission to republish Cats in Mythology: Housecats, Jaguars, Leopards, Lions, and Tigers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.