GTP (Gratuitous Trivia Post):

[capri0mni]

From What Else The Romans Did For Us:

Cats
While it has been widely established that cats were highly revered in ancient Egypt, the Romans admired them almost as much. Romans considered the cat to be the God of Liberty and they were the only animal allowed in Roman temples. They were often kept as mascots by the Roman army. As a result when the Romans arrived in Britain, they introduced the domestic cat into our lives.

... Or, more likely: The cats were the only animal the Romans couldn't keep out of their temples, no matter what they tried, so in the end, they decided cats must be sacred, because it's just easier that way...

Gods (and goddesses) of Liberty: trufax!

Comments

[indefatigable42.livejournal.com]

That fits well with the God of Liberty... cats do anything they damn well please, including sleeping on altars. ;)

I wonder if a similar logic led to the rats of Deshnok being considered the reincarnation of the goddess whose temple they were living in.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

*clicks link*

Oooh, that's nifty. I've always liked rats...

And I wouldn't be surprised if rats became sacred because they were in the sacred temple, rather than the other way around. And actually, it makes good husbandry sense to pamper the rats in that way(journalists' outrage notwithstanding), if it keeps them in the temple and not raiding the grain stores of the poor. These rats are probably very healthy, too, and are less likely to spread disease....

Re: Cats sleeping on altars --

Mount Saint Mary, the college from whence I got my Bachelor's, was adopted by a semi-stray tabby that claimed the main academic building for his home. He was named Thomas Aquinas (the patron saint of the hall; and scholars in general), and had his food, water, and litter pan in the security guards' station. He would hop onto the elevator when the students got on and off, and would sleep on the winter coats the students place on the tables in the library, when they came in to study. He'd also sleep on the altar in the little chapel off the main lobby. No one minded. :-) He eventually died of old age, though...