Ancient Egyptians believed that cats were inextricably linked to their deities and rituals. The cat goddess Bastet was depicted as a woman with the head of a female cat or lioness. Her name "Bast" means "the one who lives in her house". She was seen as the protector of women, pregnant women, cats and their kittens, just like Sekhmet who protected humans against disease.
Cats were so highly regarded in ancient Egypt that they were often mummified by the priests for their owners after death. Cats also became associated with even more positive symbols, such as the sun god Ra because they are nocturnal hunters and have excellent night vision (cats have infra-red sensitive receptors).
One of the most popular images of cats in ancient Egypt is the feline goddess Sekhmet (or "Sekmet") who was depicted as a lion or a woman with the head and tail of a cat. She has blue eyes and wings, and her fangs are long, her claws are curved, she wears a short kilt fastened by a sash, and her entire body is painted red except for her paws and ears. A pair of ears was considered as an emblem of divinity. One passage from the Book of the Dead states that if someone sees Sekhmet's ears they will fall down dead, which implies that she had supernatural powers.
Sekhmet or "Sekhet" was the goddess of slaughter, and the protector of Pharaohs. She also represented the forces of nature: chaos and destruction, as well as renewal and growth. She was considered a fierce aspect of Bastet. To prehistoric Egypt she represented storms, sun heat, and childbirth. Later gradually her attributes were stretched to include popular qualities like strict justice with a cruel edge for those who deserved it, army support for Pharaohs who followed her way, protecting people from natural disaster (storms), and even rebirth (see Wadjet).
