Felis catus

Independent at heart. Casually ambivalent. Lazily sleeping away the day.

Crazy to think that these little floofs were once considered a representation of the Egyptian Goddess Bastet. A fearless warrior and a protector of the home. Portrayed originally as a goddess with the head of a lioness- which over time transitioned to the head of a cat. A cat visiting your home was a sign the goddess was present.

At this very moment, you may be leaning back and looking at your very own relic of tiny purring royalty (which is most likely sleeping on the one jacket you were trying to keep clear of cat hair) and wondering " fierce, huh?".

WELL believe it or not, as it turns out a few historians have attributed this worship partially to the fact that the ancestors of our feline companions excelled at repelling hazardous pests. Keeping homes and essential food storage areas of early humans free and clear of rodents and other hazards. Our cute little allies quickly worked their way into our hearts through reciprocal altruism.

It's almost hilarious to consider the fact that cats may have been responsible for their own domestication. Finding an opportunity and swiftly filling it.

Now we begin with our ode to Felis Catus

Line art in my digital doodles is an area that I have been practicing and trying to improve in. I was pretty happy with how these lines turned out. I do have to say though, in a recent switch from Photoshop to Krita achieving clean lines seems to be much easier. Definitely a worthwhile program. I can't wait to explore the program more thoroughly!

Once the coloring of the foliage was completed it was time to fill in the rest. I decided to add some Balloon Flowers. They are so cute and very much remind me of stars. ⭐️

In addition, I couldn't resist adding in a gemstone. Opting to go with the Amythyst.
Ancient Egyptians (as well as many other ancient cultures) considered this gemstone to be one of protection. This felt like a fitting inclusion.

Originally I was going to make the balloon flowers purple as a representation of the royal status cats used to have. This swiftly changed when I started experimenting with the background and came up with something very different but I ended up liking it a whole lot more.

Changing the flowers to white also ended up helping with the star visualization.
Finally, encased in blue, the color of loyalty.

Today's felines that are living as pets might not quite hold up to the ferocity of their ancestors, but that's ok. I will continue to support my tiny freeloader. She's pretty cute...I guess.

If you're looking for an interesting read on the history of our relationship with cats (and dogs) I recommend checking out:
Citizen Canine: Our Evolving Relationship with Cats and Dogs written by David Grimm

The author shares interesting scientific and historical information in a format in which I found "easy" yet enjoyable to read.