they are a remnant

There are as many cats in Cairo as there are people. They are a part of my most distinct memories as a child, coming to Cairo for our two month summer holidays (which were always about a month and a half too long).

I remember seeing kittens peeking out from under street vendors' carts, cats sitting on doorsteps, on the hoods of cars covered in that thick dark grey canvas cloth that might have been white, once.

I've often heard stories about how they are a remnant of Ancient Egypt, of a creature once revered to the point of worship, and now reduced to street animals.

Best viewed large

Another angle

On a lighter note, those of you in Scotland might get a kick out of this story of the slight possibility that King Tut was Scottish