Herod tells that when a house was on fire the Egyptians never thought of extinguishing the fire until their cats were all saved, and that when a cat died, they shaved their heads in sign of mourning.

Whoever killed one of these animals, whether intentionally or by accident, suffered the penalty, of death, without any chance of mercy.Diod.

(I.81.) himself witnessed the murder of a Roman citizen who had killed a cat, by the Egyptian people; and this in spite of the authorities, who in fear of the powerful Romans, endeavored to prevent the deed.

The bodies of the cats were carefully embalmed and buried, and their mummies are to be found in every museum.

The embalmed cat, carefully wrapped in linen bandages, is oftener to be met with than any other of the many animals thus preserved by the Egyptians.