It is said that in the town of Ultar, lying behind the Sky River, it is forbidden to kill cats. And looking at the cat that purrs up at the stone, I think it's a wise decision. After all, the cat is the most mysterious creature, it is dedicated to the secrets hidden from man. He is the soul of Ancient Egypt and the only witness to the existence of long-forgotten cities: Meroy and Ophir. He is a relative of the lord of the jungle and is dedicated to the secrets of ancient and mysterious Africa. The Sphinx is his cousin, they speak the same language, but still the cat is older than the Sphinx and remembers something he has long forgotten.                                          

Howard Phillips Lovecraft 
“Cats of Ulthar”(1920)