Why Do People Say Cats Have 9 Lives
When people talk about cats having nine lives, they aren’t just being superstitious. The phrase has a long history that goes back to the Middle Ages and beyond.
The term “nine lives” comes from the Middle Ages, when cats were accused of being members of witchcraft.
It is believed that the term “nine lives” comes from a story during the Middle Ages of a cat that survived nine fires. The story goes like this:
A woman lived in Germany during the 13th century and had a pet cat, who she loved dearly. One night, while she slept peacefully in her bed, her house caught on fire and burned down with her inside it. The next morning when people came to investigate what happened, they found only one body in the ruins of what was once a home: It was not hers but rather her beloved feline companion! After hearing this tale of survival, someone said that cats must have nine lives—and henceforth began referring to them with this phrase.
The idea of cats having 9 lives likely began with an exaggerated story about a cat’s survival.
The idea of cats having nine lives likely began with an exaggerated story about a cat’s survival.
The tale goes that a cat fell from the top of a building, survived, and went on to have nine more lives. The number 9 was probably added later because it sounds better than 8 or 7.
While it may be true that this is where the legend originated, it is doubtful that anyone could actually prove that this happened in real life. While some people claim to remember hearing this story from their grandparents or great-grandparents, those tales are difficult to verify as there was no internet back then for us all to share our experiences!
The idea that cats have 9 lives may have come from the belief that cats are stronger and more resilient than humans.
The idea that cats have 9 lives may have come from the belief that cats are stronger and more resilient than humans.
Cats are physically superior to humans in many ways. They can survive falls from high places, survive better when they’re thrown out of a moving car, and have a better sense of balance than humans. Cats can also bend their bodies into all kinds of crazy positions (like being able to fit through windows or under things), but only because they’re so flexible!
Some people think that this is what makes them so lucky—that they can take advantage of all these qualities during their adventures throughout life and still live to tell the tale!
Researchers aren’t sure why people think cats have 9 lives.
Scientists aren’t sure why people think cats have 9 lives. But they do know that the belief may have come from the idea that cats are stronger and more resilient than humans. This can be seen in their ability to survive falls from heights that would kill a human, as well as their ability to land on their feet after falling from great heights. Many other animals also exhibit these traits, but because of cats’ widespread popularity with humans it’s likely this belief became attached to them specifically.
The origin of the phrase is unknown, but there are many different reasons why people believe it.
You might be surprised to learn that the origin of the phrase “cats have nine lives” is unknown. In fact, there are many different reasons why people believe it.
Some say that cats have nine lives because they sleep so much, and in order for them to fully wake up they need to go into a deep sleep again; hence having another “life”.
Others believe that cats have nine lives because they can land on their feet when falling from great heights without getting hurt as much as humans would in such situations (which indicates having two or more lives).
Another theory suggests that cats always land on their feet because when landing from a fall (having eight lives), they immediately turn around and run away back up onto whatever platform they fell off of (having one more life). The phrase could then simply mean “run away fast enough” instead of actually being about cats having extra chances at survival like most people think today!
From the Middle Ages to the present day, there have been many stories about cats having 9 lives. But it’s unclear exactly where and when the phrase originated. It might have come from a story about a cat who survived being thrown from a window by landing on his feet, or it could have come from people believing that cats are stronger than humans and therefore live longer too. The origin of this phrase remains unknown today, but it will always be an interesting topic for debate among cat lovers!
