Shokugan mummy of a cat statue

The cat is associated with the goddess Bastet, whose cult centre was at Bubastis in the Delta. The cat was very elaborately wrapped. A lot of effort was frequently spent on the wrapping and external apperance while the remains inside are often incomplete. It seems likely that many cats did not die a natural death; many aged less than one year old. The burial of an animal mummy in a specially designed catacomb was seen as a pious act.