Cats were a favorite pet of the Egyptian people. People would have a cat to chase away the mice and rats that ate their precious grain. Cats would eat left over meat and fish. The people of Egypt took good care of their cats. They thought the goddess Bastet would punish them if they didn't. Bastet was a catlike goddess that protected cats and ripened the crops. She was the daughter of Re, the sun god. Egyptians would leave offerings to Bastet hoping she would help them with their crops and cats. They would leave offerings such as makeup, food, and other things that might please Bastet.

Cats were treated so specially that they would have been mummified when they died. If the owner died first, a favorite cat would have been mummified and placed in the tomb with its owner's mummy. Some cats were buried close to Bastet's temple.