Egyptian cat figure

In Egypt, the cat is associated with Bast, a feline goddess who defended Ra against the attacks of the serpent Apophis, one of the evil gods. Bast’s symbolism is made up of two different aspects. On the one hand, she is associated with the sun, as a clear, warm giver of life, and on the other ,with certain aspects of night and the moon.
As time passed, Bast was transformed into a deity linked to domestic life, guardian of the home and ferocious defender of children, in addition to other feminine virtues such as fertility and maternity. For the Egyptian people, cats were considered as fragments of their own incarnation, in addition to being a living symbol of a god. In everyday life, they received very special treatment, considered as a member of the family, and they were given particular attention in cases of illness or death. This bronze figure depicts the cat seated, head erect in an alert attitude and tail extended forward, curved around its front feet. Its raised ears are outstanding as a signal of attentiveness.