Were cats the origin of eye make up?

**Randi** · 11-02-2002, 10:22 AM

The domestication of cats by humans presumably goes back at least 8000 years, but we don’t know much about their relationship before the times of the first Egyptian civilisations about 4000 BC. These cats were probably attracted by the mice and rats that filled the Egyptian grain stores. The Egytians were very appreciative of the cats help with vermin control, and gave them a central place in their culture. Cats were considered as gods, and killing a cat was punishable by death! The male cat was depicted as sacred to the sun god Ra and the female cat to the fertility godess Bast. Not only were they carefully looked after during life, the cadavers were also mummified and preserved in special cemetries. When a house cat died, the family and servants shaved their eyebrows and went into mourning. The death of a temple cat would be mourned by the whole city.
The way cats act nowadays, I don’t think they have ever forgotten this!

There are some interesting tales concerning these times. Among others a story that Persians strapped cats to their shields and went to do battle with the Egyptians, believing that the Egyptians wouldn’t fight through fear of killing the cats, and would thereby be defeated. (I find that rather doubtfull, can you imagine trying to strap a cat to anything?)

But to get to the point.
Since cats were revered and worshipped as gods, it has been suggested that in order to imitate these godly beings, women began to use eyeliner in imitation of the cats mysterious, regal eyes. Presumably in order to attract attention and respect from their spouses!

What do you think, have your cats got there eye make up on today?
Any pictures of classic cat eyeliner?

john

**Kirsten** · 11-02-2002, 10:57 AM

Hmmm, interesting point!

But cats are born with their eye make up included, that's for sure!

Here's Luna:

Kirsten

**Edwina's Secretary** · 11-02-2002, 03:31 PM

I think Lut's Maya has the most gorgeous eye liner. Edwina doesn't wear any....she leaves that to her momma!

**Nomilynn** · 11-03-2002, 02:48 AM

Here is a pic of Bassett with eyeliner. It's not as pronounced as it usually looks in this picture though.. sometimes she looks like she's overdone her make up!!

**neko1** · 11-03-2002, 06:44 AM

My neighbors cat Satin and her eyeliner:

Liz's cat bailey and his eyeliner:

**Kirsten** · 11-03-2002, 10:52 AM

Great pictures, and what a beautiful make up these ladies are wearing!

I agree about Maya, her eye liner is just gorgeous!

Reminds me a bit to a friend's cat, Tine:

As you can see, she's exaggerating a bit with her make up, she has these Cleopatra eyes! :lol

Kirsten

**The Cat Factory** · 11-03-2002, 04:22 PM

Here's one of Majy...sorry the pic isn't bigger

**Cataholic** · 11-03-2002, 04:49 PM

It seems like the Tabbys are better at applying eyeliner than the tuxedos...

**Vio&Juni** · 11-04-2002, 05:44 AM

Juni's eyes are so big here, that you hardly can see her make up, but she also has nose make up too, her lips are black he-he, she's truly the daughter of a black kitty. She even has a paw print on her forehead, I have to take a picture of it and show it to you, guys.

**Barbara** · 11-04-2002, 05:55 AM

Oh, Juni is such a cutie. And it looks as if she has the same face than her mother, only in a different colour. Do you know the children's books of Sven Nordqvist? They are about an old Swedish man called Petterson and his cat Findus. Findus looks a lot like Juni

**Vio&Juni** · 11-04-2002, 06:15 AM

Thanks Barbara, I will make myself a Christmas gift - a digital camera and I will make tons of pictures. Still, I think, Naomi was more beautiful than Juni. Juni is more like a boy, Naomi was a real female kitty. Pitty, I don't have a lot of pictures of Naomi.

**Tubby & Peanut's Mom** · 11-05-2002, 05:03 PM

Peanut has eyeliner on too.

And so does Goofy, my mom's new "outside" kitty.

And this picture really show's off my mom's Cranker's pretty eyeliner. Although, watch out, he might bite you if you call him pretty.

Our old neighbors had two cats that they let outside to roam. Samson & Delilah. Delilah was the most beautiful brown tabby, with the biggest sweetest eyes. Before I knew her name, I called her "the eyeliner kitty." As in "Hey Terry, come look, the eyeliner kitty is here again." They moved to the city and took their kitties with them. I hope they don't let them roam in Chicago like they did out in the burbs.

**boscibo** · 11-05-2002, 05:16 PM

Hanna's got some wicked eyeliner:

I never pass up a chance to show off pictures of my baby...

**kohala** · 11-05-2002, 10:13 PM

Originally posted by Cataholic
It seems like the Tabbys are better at applying eyeliner than the tuxedos...

LOL!! I was just trying to think of how to explain Grasshopper's whole eye thing, but you told the real truth!!! I guess if they had white liner around their eyes......?