Catfilter: Living on a Purrayer
February 21, 2016 1:49 PM   Subscribe

Place your cat under the protection of the Cat Goddess, Bastet! If your cat needs a little extra protection, the San Francisco Cat Museum will add it to its prayer list to Bastet (Goddess of Warfare and protectress of felines).

Due to high demand, new cats will have to wait until March 1, 2016.
posted by smallvictories (22 comments total) 18 users marked this as a favorite
 
I had no idea that failure to name cats properly was so widespread.
posted by Wolfdog at 1:50 PM on February 21, 2016 [3 favorites]


I like the repeating picture of Bastet, as if just having her at the top would mean that all the kitties lower down on the list weren't as protected.

I'm currently taking a class on Egyptian magic. I will see if I can track down a cat prayer for the DIY (Do Incantations Yourself) types.
posted by teponaztli at 1:57 PM on February 21, 2016 [12 favorites]


This, effectively, provides a convenient list of unprotected cats for potential wrongdoers to exploit.
posted by Wolfdog at 2:00 PM on February 21, 2016 [7 favorites]


This, effectively, provides a convenient list of unprotected cats for potential wrongdoers to exploit.

AND INCUR THE WRATH OF BASTET.

Also, eponysterical.
posted by adept256 at 2:02 PM on February 21, 2016 [4 favorites]


O Bastet

Tuna, cream and sunbeams be upon you
Please do something about that red dot
And may anything that dangles be yours forever and ever

Amen.
posted by adept256 at 2:08 PM on February 21, 2016 [12 favorites]


I think little Newton from Under Taylor's Mother's Building is definitely the most deserving of Bastet's protection right about now.
posted by Spatch at 2:38 PM on February 21, 2016 [1 favorite]


Due to high demand, new cats will have to wait until March 1, 2016.

With all respect to Bastet, this bureaucratic failure on the part of her priesthood does not reflect well on the cult. Perhaps the cat mother needs to "put the red dot" on one or more of the shirkers.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:11 PM on February 21, 2016 [3 favorites]


I'm recalling the incarnation of Bastet in Cairo, Illinois in the novel American Gods. She was one of the few good things that bumped into Shadow.
posted by Bee'sWing at 3:12 PM on February 21, 2016


I've looked through some primary sources, and I'm not seeing much in the way of direct prayers or appeals to Bast. If people are genuinely curious about this (as I sort of am), I will risk humiliating myself in front of a world-class Egyptologist and ask about this after lecture on Tuesday. She'll probably think it's hilarious. But I'll do it, for you. And for the cats.

Also, I love that someone named their cat "Trout."
posted by teponaztli at 3:20 PM on February 21, 2016 [15 favorites]


Top ten names:
Tiger
Bella
Gizmo
Sammy
Shadow
Angel
Athena
Chloe
Cleo
Cleopatra
Ginger
Isis
Luna
Midnight
Oliver
Romeo
Simba
Sunshine

Tiger (9/1662). Really?
posted by b33j at 3:25 PM on February 21, 2016 [1 favorite]


I named a cat Sammy, I had no idea it was so common. (There is one Matilda, 4 Lucys -- I inherited the name -- and zero Conrads.)
posted by jeather at 3:31 PM on February 21, 2016


We are a 501(c)(3) non profit organization established in the Fall of 2010. Our goal is to create a facility here in San Francisco where we can collect, exhibit and interpret objects, related to the Cat.

So I guess no meetup at the Cat Museum.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 3:35 PM on February 21, 2016


Is there a little temple where cats can go pray? Have a confession? That kind of thing?

If not, can someone make one? Purrlease?
posted by discopolo at 4:11 PM on February 21, 2016 [1 favorite]


No cat has ever confessed to anything, ever.
posted by Wolfdog at 4:46 PM on February 21, 2016 [15 favorites]


Bon Jovi songs are very high on the cat-ability scale.

Oh, we're halfway there, meowing on a prayer
take my hands and we'll make it I swear,
oh, oh, meowing on a prayer

It's meow life, it's meow or never
I ain't gonna meow furrever
I just wanna meow while I'm alive
it's meow life

My love is like a purr purr highway
Like Frankie said
I did it meow way

(I may have a problem)
posted by Neronomius at 5:30 PM on February 21, 2016 [1 favorite]


The most superior cat on this whole list is the one named Butt-Butt

I mean, really
posted by Hermione Granger at 5:33 PM on February 21, 2016 [8 favorites]


I just want to hear the prayer for Butt-Butt: I will protect Butt-Butt from the sting of the scorpion and the bite of the asp. When the one who dwells in darkness comes to kiss Butt-Butt, I will not let him kiss Butt-Butt. I have made Butt-Butt's protection out of Efet-herb and out of onion, which harms the one who dwells in darkness, that he may not strike at Butt-Butt.
posted by teponaztli at 5:47 PM on February 21, 2016 [11 favorites]


MetaFilter: I will not let him kiss Butt-Butt.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 2:20 AM on February 22, 2016 [4 favorites]


Since the list seems to be organized by date of request, it's pretty safe to assume any repeating location is just one cat colony?

So in Akron, OH for example, they are a 15 cat strong house. Love it!

Totally adding my cat Tanner to this list come 3/1, he's old and has been sniffling/congested all winter.

I will probably add my cat Patch too. She would've gotten better use out Bastet's protection when she was born though - then she might still have two eyes!
posted by mayonnaises at 6:27 AM on February 22, 2016 [1 favorite]


Seriously, hasn't every cat owner at least once in their life, if only sotto-voce, called their cat Butt-Butt?
posted by BlueHorse at 8:21 AM on February 22, 2016


Wow, Darth Lovey and Ms. Kitty are gonna have to wait a bit, then, I guess.
posted by Lynsey at 9:46 AM on February 22, 2016


A friend of mine has a cat called Chairman Meow. If the cat doesn't immediately denounce it all as a bourgeois trap to divert the workers attention from the struggle with lies and falsehoods while the rich grab all the power and land, or get distracted by string, I'm sure he'll be grateful.
posted by Zack_Replica at 10:36 AM on February 22, 2016 [1 favorite]


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