How many cats to the boatload? 20 May 2007

The legend that Helena the mother of the Emperor Constantine was the first person to bring cats to Cyprus is just that. I found the following National Geographic reference to a 9500 year old mummified cat in Cyprus.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0408_040408_oldestpetcat.html

So it seems that Helena missed the boat.... or the boatload which ever you prefer.

There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that the cat described in the National Geographic article was the victim of a hit-and-run incident by a 9500 year old Cypriot at the wheel of his chariot.