Cats are gods

Heymatt:

Who was the Roman god of cats?

-- Maria Sanchez, Escondido

Hmmm. Romans believed just about everything was invested with a spirit and therefore worthy of honoring for good luck, if for nothing else. Door hinges, rust, fraud, ghosts, fertilizer-- all kinds of odd things had gods. But the sneaky cat was revered as a free spirit in its own right, a symbol of freedom and the home and hearth. Weddings often featured a sacrifice made to a cat to ensure domestic harmony and prosperity. So in Rome, cats didn't need gods because they were virtual gods themselves.