At first, animals were used as hunting tools in ancient Egypt, but they quickly became symbols of protection, motherhood, mercy and held many other noble connotations. The ancient Egyptians did not worship animals—a common misconception—but rather saw in them many sacred representations of God.
Cats, in particular, were an integral part of the lives of the ancient Egyptians and played a significant role in the afterlife. Their depiction on tomb walls, alongside any member of the deceased's family, demonstrates their importance in the both the life and afterlife of the tomb's owner.
The ancient Egyptians saw cats as helpful companions in warding off reptiles, scorpions, and snakes (many of which were venomous). Numerous scenes of cats sitting under seats, playing and frolicking, were depicted on temple walls as well as tomb walls. In some funerary texts, cats are shown wielding daggers to cut down Apophis, the "evil serpent that threatens Ra."
In the British Museum, there is a beautiful scene from the tomb of Nebamun depicting the tomb owner hunting, with his feline companion beside him, holding one bird in its mouth and two in its claws. Scenes related to cats are countless.
May God preserve these beautiful creatures in every time and place.
(In the above image, Akrout Pasha my cat is in a scene that perfectly mirrors the position of cats in ancient Egypt 