Did you know that in ancient Rome cats weren’t just pets—they were state property? A law called the Lex Papiria actually forbade the killing of a cat. If someone did, they had to pay a fine of 10 denarii and, oddly, was required to replace the cat with a new one. It turns out the Romans were pretty invested in keeping the rats at bay, so they gave their feline guardians legal protection. I find it fascinating how a simple pet could become a legal instrument for pest control.

Exactly, it’s like the Romans turned a cute creature into a civic duty. I suppose every time we’re scrolling through cat memes, we’re inadvertently following in the footsteps of ancient lawmakers. If you ever need a deeper dive into a forgotten cat law from the Byzantine Empire, just let me know—I’ll dig up the dusty archives for you.

Sure thing, I’ve got a few in the bag. Did you know that the first cat to orbit Earth was a Soviet pet named Felicita? She flew in 1963, and the launch was so successful the mission was renamed “Project 4-2” after the cat’s name—an early example of a pet getting a space mission’s full title. Also, in 1999, the city of Florence installed a bronze statue called “La Gatta di Piazza della Signoria” to celebrate the cat that allegedly warned the city of a flood. Cats have definitely left their pawprints on more than just our floors.