Why Do We Say Cats Have Nine Lives?

As much as pet owners everywhere would love it to be true, it’s a myth that cats actually have nine lives. You’ve probably heard the saying at some point in your life, but where did something so improbable originate? This belief doesn’t have a clear beginning—but we can turn to several parts of history to get an idea of why humans started throwing the phrase around. 

Cats in Culture

The idea that cats have nine lives has been around for a long time—although it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how long. Most sources cite an old English proverb that states: “A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays, and for the last three he stays.” There’s no physical evidence of where the proverb originated or how often it was said; it was likely passed down orally. It’s also believed the idea behind the proverb was probably pointing out the unique personalities that cats often possess, and was not meant to be a factual statement about their lifespans. 

William Shakespeare mentions the actual “nine lives” part of the phrase in Romeo and Juliet with the line, “Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives.” 

But England isn’t the only potential source. Cats were revered by ancient Egyptians, who believed they had divine energy. According to their culture, the sun god, Atum-Ra, gave birth to the other eight gods and also took the form of a cat. The nine lives connection may have come from this symbolism—Ra plus eight gods equals nine. 

In China, both cats and the number nine have positive significance, with cats once being worshipped and the number nine representing longevity.

Not every place believes nine is the magic number: According to one Reddit thread, people in Germany and some Spanish-speaking nations say that cats have seven lives. This lucky life-extending number may have to do with the significance of those numbers in those cultures.

Do cats always land on their feet?

Wherever the phrase began, the idea that these animals have nine lives is undoubtedly prevalent today. This most likely has to do with the behaviors cats have that allow them to survive seemingly impossible situations. Cats are very intelligent and defensive; anyone who owns one knows how quick they are to scare or launch an attack. The little furry beasts also have lightning-fast reflexes that allow them to escape dangerous situations quickly. 

The average feline’s heightened senses are truly incredible as well. Cats have excellent eyesight in the dark, as well as keen hearing and sense of touch. They essentially have every advantage of sensing danger before it reaches them—which gives them extra time to evade life-threatening situations. 

The phrase cats always land on their feet may play a role in the nine lives idiom as well. While cats don’t actually always land on their feet, they do have a reflex that helps them orient themselves from virtually any position. There’s still some speculation among experts about how this works and how effective it is, but it does seem to be a trait unique to felines. 

While these characteristics may not be enough to grant extra lives, they certainly help cats get the most out of their current ones. 

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