Do cats have nine lives?

Cats do not have nine lives. The thought that cats have multiple lives is a myth. In countries such as Germany and Greece, the myth is that cats have seven lives.

The belief that cats have multiple lives has been attributed to the swiftness cats seem to have during life-threatening situations. Cats also often seem to land on their feet, which adds fuel to the multiple lives myth. The myth can also be traced back to stories of the Egyptian sun god Atum-Ra, who was said to have transformed into a cat when traveling back and forth to the underworld.