You know maybe it is the current conjunction of asteroid Ubasti (aka Bast – the Cat Goddess) with Pluto BUT I was just thinking how taken for granted the usage of the term “cat lady” as a put-down is. We don’t hear anything about “dog man” – even though you could say that there are presumably some single guys with dogs, no?
It’s also a myth that being a ‘cat lady’ equates to poor hygiene. If anything, living with a creature as obsessively groomed, fragrant and fastidious as the cat inspires cleanliness.
One of the most famous cat ladies in history was Florence Nightingale, the iconic and influential nurse whose revolutionary hygiene practices altered the course of modern medicine. At any one time she would have at least ten of them and her copious collected manuscripts have paw prints all over them.
FYI, she was a double Taurus – born on the New Moon in that sign – with her Sun/Moon trining a Virgo Lilith/Ascendant and Jupiter conjunct asteroid Ubasti (Bast) in Pisces.
Actually, I think it is deeper than just a stupid double standard – women and cats share a history of having been denounced by the church as demonic. In olden days cats were sometimes burned alongside so-called witches at the stake.Â
In Ancient Egypt, when Goddesses were as omnipresent as Gods (Isis and Osiris, for instance), cats were sacred. Could there be a deeper dimension to the casual denigration of females who like/have cats and live independently?
Semi-Frequently Asked Question: Should cats have their own zodiac or horoscopes? There is no need for a Cat Zodiac, as such: they simply have different incentives. Eg: You could ‘swap in sardines and a sunlit velvet cushion with a view of the feline street action’ for – say – ‘a fulfilling job.’
However, cats are Neptunian by nature and their Moon sign is generally more prominent than that of the Sun. Cats are the animals most inclined to be familiars, innately magic.
Top Image: Paul Jasmin – Sofia Coppola and Birdie
I am a Cat Lady, dear hubby is a Cat Guy. We have 5 of the furry darlings currently ruling our home. We are down from 7, but alas lost two of them, most recently this past March. Both times, we both cried our eyes out, it was as if we had lost a child. They drive us crazy at times, but I can’t imaging being without them. Don’t get me wrong, dogs are nice people, too, also horses and bunnies, but kitties are what we purr over. If that makes us crazy, then I guess we’ll be crazy.
Being a cat person or a cat lover is not the same as going crazy and having too many cats to care for properly, often known as cat lady.
Agree Gemstar. I think the concept of cat lady has become a sweeping generalisation encompassing more than it need to as is the nature of all things general.
Its the fitting people in the box thing that really irks me. People seem so gleeful when they find a stereotype that may stick on me, and so annoyed when they find it doesn’t.
I like men. I really, really, REALLY do. And I like my cat. Why are the two implied to be exclusive of each other? I have a friend who recently got a few kittens. Every time she posts a pic on FB, she does so apologetically, making points about how she’s not really “one of those people.” Ugh. Just be it. I have a cat. A big black one who adopted me. I like sex. At least, from what I can remember. I like my cat. Whatevs.
I like cats and dogs.
I think the term cat lady came about because there’s a kind of disorder that formerly abused people sometimes get.
Wherein, instead of getting the therapy they need and looking after their own hurting inner child, they adopt dozens of abandoned animals, often cats, which are mobile and turn up for the food. And then they reproduce creating more. And the human can’t bear to turn them away because of her own abandonment issues (it’s usually a woman). Unfortunately she fails to see that by taking on too many, she cares for them inadequately which is neglect or abuse in itself. Hygiene becomes compromised. The law or RSPCA has been called into these cases, bringing them to light. A logical nickname for a person with too many animals living in compromised hygiene was Cat Lady.
I haven’t heard that phrase ‘cat lady’ used in a derogatory way towards women, to be honest, but a deeper dimension between cats and women wouldn’t surprise me. Cats are supposed to have been familiars for witches, so being called a ‘cat lady’ is akin to being called a witch. Wouldn’t worry me in the least, proud to be a witch. But on the practical level, come to North Cyprus and you’ll find heaps of cat ladies. We have been adopted by a white cat just like in the pic, Jezebel (I reckon she’s a descendant of Bast because she’s so haughty and stalks everywhere), and she has two snow-white kittens, Sweetie and Tinkerbell, plus we host a stray called Gorgeous George and have an occasional visit from a bitgblack and white stray. Our friends reckon there’s a feline underground paper with headlines: “For a good feed, head this way” and a map to our home attached. In fact, our number of cats is small. Some people feed up to 10-20 cats, some living in the home, some strays. There’s a huge stray problem with cats and dogs, it’s quite heartbreaking, but along with the friendliness and kindness of the locals, is also an indifference to and cruelty towards cats and dogs. Sad to see, but many of the ex-pats and some locals have set up a shelter for cats and dogs, or leave our water and food for strays.
Well I don’t give a monkey’s uncle if I’m a crazy cat person, mine is the best thing that ever happened to me in all her crazy, feline glory.
I also like men, a lot. The two are not mutually exclusive in my world but a man who loves cats is instantly a cut above the rest and ones that kick them out the way or make faces don’t get laid.
Ditto to both paragraphs!
sorry that was a bit of really bad editing but you know what I mean 🙂
There are guys who love cats too. I know a couple who just adore them. And of course its mutual – cats just come out of the ‘woodwork’ wherever else they are to present themselves to them
im not sure how the term cat lady is used in other places but generally you have to have 3 or more cats to qualify.
i love cats but i love other animals more like pet ferrets…emu…scorpions…snakes….
Ive been know as The Cat Lady of Greenacre in Sydney’s South West for 25yrs…
and yes Im a Herbalist (known as a witch back in the the old days)
Ive had up to 11cats at one time…they are amzing creatures, I couldnt live without them.
As a very dear friend and Reiki Master once said “Cats absorb any negative energy around you and your home, they bring peace and health and harmony” however saddly when they do this they themselves may get sick in the process.
But hey they got me I treat them with herbs too 🙂
I have wondered about that. My cat – who adopted me in April – has had two eye infections in that time. I’m hoping a house clearing and some feng shui will help take the cleansing burden off her.
The house clearing should work wonders…im doing one on the 17th sep.I also suggest to look into yourself and whats happening in your life. There may be a few things going on that need to be resolved
I agree that our animals can reflect in their health, the issues of the owner. It’s a close bond.
I disagree with the deragatory connotations. The photos, above are beautiful and do not bring the image of a “Cat Lady”, to me. I think more of CAT WOMAN, ala Batman. (And who secretly doesn’t want to be Cat Woman for a day- or night?)
yeah i don’t really understand why you can’t have a cat and a lover. It’s not like they’re mutually exclusive. weird how they are seemingly associated. maybe it’s cat people who have separated themselves from society? or whatever it is that’s the antithesis of whatever this was all about?
and dogs are not the opposite of cats.
Agree. I love all animals and would invite them all in to live if I could.
I love cats, dogs, birds and not a “crazy cat lady loner.”
crazy animal lady- yes! 😉
Not sure why there’s a cat vs dog teams. How could you NOT love all animals?!!! 🙂
Agree
Yeah – I have one of each myself
Clearly I’m a cat lady – I kind of judge men on how they treat cats (cat boys /men are usually super cool and nice).
On the topic of witch burning – there is a theory that the Black Death was able to spread unchecked though Europe due to the lack of cats to kill the rats (with the fleas) – this is because the cats were killed as part of the witch hunts.
(and don’t get me started on the double standard of what “names” we give women vs those given to men)
That is bizarrely funny
My cats send me messages in my dreams. Im proud to be a cat lady. Nothing more Zen than a purring cat on your lap…
I am obsessed with cats, each one has so much personality despite the commonalities shared by all of them.
Right now staying over at a friends that has an adorable Persian kitten…I love them all like Willy Burrought, they are my role models, they are endearing and captivating without extending any effort, they sleep without apology, they are domesticated but aloof….etc etc etc. Everyone already knows. But really, I think it’s the above qualities I described that makes people hate on cat ladies — ladies are supposed to be accommodating, etc. and cats and cat ladies march (albeit, quietly) to the beat of their own drum.
Cat Lady and Proud.
(In addition to, ‘Witchy, Independent and Lover of some men’)
Time to reclaim …
How weird that you posted something on cats. I just woke up from a bad dream where I was given two cats and they died. Will check my Ubasti asteroid.
Yeah, I’ve heard the phrase. It’s annoying. Don’t forget other anegative cat-related terms, like “catty” and “cat-fight”–used with regard to women. And YES, power to the cat-people!! (men and women). Also Bast is my Homegirl. Defender of Maat FTW!!
Interesting to think about Mystic.
I have heard the crazy cat lady thing on countless occassions and it’s only when there is a female and a cat/s and no male present in the same house so.. well your theory is a plausible and probaby preferable to the others.
My Capricorn cat has advised me she doesn’t take that kind of stuff on as she realised early on it’s bad for her complexion besides she’s all Pluto now so couldn’t give a toss. She also threw out a challenge to anyone who’d like to say that to her face.. and I can attest that she has some of the sharpest cat claws around and is well connected in other realms.
puuurrrrrr.
I do ‘t own a cat(s) but they are in my poetry, short stories, have always been in my all-time fave houses like my nan’s and my best friend’s. A series of jet-black cats came into my life since 2010 – I moved into a share house and out and then into another and both had black cats… I’m a Leo Rising (chart ruled by sun) with bast on my Sun.
Love my cat. But, God Bless him, if he has to be taken from me.. I will not get another one. Just saying.
I love analyzing the people who have cats vs dogs or both. I think it is symbolic. For me, I like cats because they independent but overly loving. Dogs need to be taken care of, hence major commitment.
WOW, very revealing for me. I relate this human relationships and again hence why I am single and friendless. Hmmmm… I need to evaluate this very deeply because I honestly don’t like myself as not being able to commit and not have a lot of friends..
I love how cats are independent too!!
You’re not friendless Virgo Ellie!! 🙂
Great comment:)
xo!!
Cat ladies FTW! I love cats, cats love me. The haters can denigrate away, I don’t give a fuq. I’ve got Ubasti conj Sun & Venus in Capricorn, I guess that makes me a CapriCat…
i suspect this is why peeps hate on cat ladies – they don’t need the haters, they have the cats x
Caturnalian!! LOL
capricat — love it 🙂
Haha love the name change!!
Right, now that the cat’s been fed. I’m sure I’ve told this story before but it was a bloody brilliant piece of research I saw on Catalyst – about how cats have two types of purrs – the ‘i love you’ purr and the ‘i want something’ purr. And the secret to the second ‘soliciting purr’ as they called it was that the cats inserted an inaudible sound that was at the same frequency (or pitch whichever) as a human baby’s cry.
That is, cats had learned to manipulate humans (and lets face it, women) by sounding like baby’s.
Bloody brilliant. Domestication indeed.
my grammar is outrageously shite of late
Things get complicated when they don’t want to use the soliciting purr – then it is a ceremony of extracting tribute 😉
…did you really see that on Cat-a-lyst??
*boom tish*
ohh haha very good mille 🙂
That’s outrageous. Those cats. But I bet my husband will be pleased to know that a cat might do in lieu of another baby, lol.
Was thinking the other day that I am comfortable self describing as a witch – even though it is very close to some of what I do (yes I have a crystal ball!). Shaman is out of my cultural paradigm tho a better fit. I don’t have interest in reclaiming words I would rather make a new one.
It is just a fact that a lot of ladies prefer cats to men. And frankly there are some good reasons why! Maybe it is a slur on the Goddess but I think it is p probably just clever traumatizing by the Church/Banksters/power mongerers across time.
NOT comfortable!
i’m of the don’t give it a name school. I am what I am and no one else has any business labelling me. Difficult if you plan to run a business tho – what to put on the card etc.
The thing is it is inexplicable, that is the nature of the experience of oneness that I attempt to provide. And it so boring to read about.
I feel like putting out a business card with my name and number alone – but it looks egotistical! I suppose I have a business in labelling me.. 🙂 business and magic aren’t my favourite mix tho.
Hah, and Unity consciousness is a dead-boring conversation topic although an endlessly fascinating internal experience. You know as soon as you label something you turn it into a mental construct that is no longer reality.
This is so true! But do thread swerve when appropriate New Age Leo, it can be educational, 😉
In my culture, cats are OK as long as they stay outside — so, yes, there is a fear – cats will eat you if you die at home, cat hair will get you sick yada ya da —
I love hanging out with my cat, then listen to my friends telling me I am lonely.. hah!
you know what?
“Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.”
Cat ladies are a little bit bonkers and prefer cats to men. As in, they prefer the companionship of a cat, to the errr “affections” of a man. Suits me to a tee! I’m like a total cat lady! They are clean, intelligent, smell delicious and are a little bit ornary.
I agree. I suspect those (men) who denigrate women as crazy cat ladies, do so out of a deep seated fear/recognition that those women love their cats more than they do said man.
It’s jealously pure and simple.
And anyway, what man is going to be so easily entertained by a ping pong ball … er, um … Yes
My boyfriend enjoys nothing more than delicious “cat smell” ……. he gets quite sad if for some reason they don’t smell “catty” (I think he’s nuts, but there you go!!)
personally i have no problem with cat loving women but I do have an aesthetic / sartorial issue with some of the accoutrements – appliqued or embroidered on the front of ill-fitting leisure wear that is then worn out of doors for instance. Or coasters, quilted table mats, sugar bowl covers, nick-knacks and the like. I think a person can go too far with their love of cats but cat lovers aren’t the only ones – urban pig lovers seem to have the same thing going on and then there’s the people who collect everything that is about cows. Maybe this is reflected in the 6th house?
Could the cat thing be to do with them being imported or exotic within the european context initially? Like tomatoes weren’t trusted at first either. And dogs were the first domesticated animal and therefore deemed not unnatural to have around? Also wolves hang in packs so it makes sense to have a pack of them and they are used in packs for hunting and droving and all those old-school things. Whereas what did a cat ever do that was ‘useful’ (as in we humans love to make animals do our bidding) but fraternise with rodents? I’m starting to realise that most of the things that we deem ‘normal’ or to do with being an upstanding member of the collective is to do with the ability to in some way contribute by working. Maybe we transfer that to the pets too. Cats mostly skulk about and sleep. Maybe it’s a deep seated societal question of work ethic? And the night thing. Creatures of the night. Who can trust them? 😀
I am a dog lover. I like them more than cats but if I had a cat in my house I’d be ok about that. Pets are good. But I do have some uranian ‘ethical’ issues with the concept of ‘owning’ them. What I really want to know is why the ‘opposite’ or masculine form of a cat lady is considered to be a dog man?
One thing I do know is that whenever venus turns direct I have a dream about cats. It’s got to the point that when i have a dream about cats I will go and check venus. For me they are hard wired. I used to live in a house with a ghost cat. It would come and rub against you and then you’d go to pat it and realise it wasn’t there. Only the person who had the room across the hall from me and I could see it. You’d be sitting in the living room and suddenly he’d get up and open the door to let the cat that didn’t exist out and everyone would think he was mental. They are definitely magic and have strong energy fields.
You don’t own cats. You really don’t. They pick you to take care of them. Perhaps that’s the true difference. Dogs will actually allow you to train them and put them to work. Cats train you and put you to work.
I’d go on but I’ve gotta go feed the cat …
ok so now i get what pussy whipped really means
indeed!
I had a dog man once and he could not be trained was a lone wolf except when ou t prowln for woman which he could attract with ease. me jealous? yuo bet but he is long gone so why do i still sigh over him?
LOL!! Good point Shell! It’s funny to see who owns what (cat vs dog or both). But yes, my little guy (cat) was a mutual connection. He was all that when I went to a breeder to find one. Although he didn’t hunt me down he was independently was playing. All others were sleeping and was playing with food running around. He caught my eye. I picked him up, he wasn’t anxious to get away from me and he turned his head upside down to look at me with the blue eyes and I was gone taking him with me. 12 years old.. he still does the head turning. But what a good boy and such a love!
Anyhoo, IF I decided on getting a dog I would want a house with a back yard. I just can’t justify having a dog inside an apartment. That’s just me. But I would get a german shepard.
xo!!
exactly…I attract strays and ferals like catnip. I currently have over 5 strays I feed. They wake me up early so, I can tend to their needs. Yes, I am trained well. 😉
Fraternity with rodents saved lots of famines in the old days, and still do in some parts of the world. And of course, there is a theory that witch and cat burning facilitated the Black Plague . There was a reason Egyptians liked their cats. 🙂
that makes total sense – the plague thing and the preventing famine – stopping the grain stores from being robbed? interesting…
omg a ghost cat! I would love it if our beautiful kitty came back to visit us with her etherically soft fur. But we’ve moved so I don’t know if she’d find us. Maybe I should go to the vet where she breathed her last breath and ask her to come visit.. miss my kitty. She adopted us too.
maybe she’s back at your old place? ours came with the house. It would never go to the rooms where the (real live) dog hung out and the dog was never allowed in our bedrooms because it would growl menacingly and try and join in when you were mid coitus. that cat would sit in front of the fireplace even though we never had a fire. Like some kind of etheric fragment or hologram. It was way less trouble than the dog.
A few years ago I went to Egypt with 4 blonde women, one of whom was a full-on trance channel. One night, while floating down the Nile, she channelled some being that taught us about Bast, Thoth, Isis, etc. The idea is to go into trance and shape-shift into those deities, and you get some insights. When we did that with Bast, we all got unbelievably sexually turned on, it was like some kind of orgy-vibe we got from going into Bast. Thoth was just a brainiac, Isis was like an earth mother, caring Cancerian type. So I think cat ladies are onto something pretty wild !!
please don’t make me think weird thoughts about my mother
but your experience sounds amazing – did you see things? Or hear stuff? I love it when there’s a powerhouse who can lift everyone else in the group’s vibe into another ‘place’ I had an egyptian experience while using aura soma. mad. Could you make out their forms, or were you just ‘in’ them? That kind of experience with more than one other person is pretty rare. You have been blessed 😀
Well it’s a kind of shamanic thing, we used to get into some amazing places and see amazing things, sadly our channel kind of stopped channelling soon after that and we have been earth-bound ever since ;-(
it sounds like you made the most of it while it was happening tho. I used to do readings for a woman who was in a group who did a similar thing to what you’re talking about and some of the things I saw while I was reading for her were intense – she carried a whole pantheon that I was completely unfamiliar with in her auric field and it was the most exhilerating experience ever. really powerful energy.
OMG guys, I wish you had written about your magical lives on that thread of Kim’s!! So many beautiful perceptions here..
I’m a one-blog wolf so I’m not sure which thread you speak of – on Kim’s site? you know what’s weird? I found the business card of the woman I was referring to about an hour after typing that – I haven’t seen her for 12 years. Am convinced that’s a sign and am going to reconnect if she still has the same deets.
Thanks Andromeda, I try to avoid doing the Leo thing by swerving the thread onto my adventures. 🙂 But I do live a kind of magic life full of unusual and beautiful perceptions
That sounds fun. And I understood that Bast Festivals were super popular as drunken and wild times to have fun. Interesting!
Working on a little painting with a woman in the forest in a tent with lots of cats.. (represented by little eyes all in the dark and their silhouette and not much else) all around, perhaps 100 cats, as in Hecto.. thinking, Hekate.. for some reason.