How much did a cat cost in ancient Russia, and why only cats from all living creatures were allowed to enter an Orthodox church

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

It is difficult for a modern person to believe that a thousand years ago domestic cats in Russia practically did not exist. This is now the proverb: "Without a cat - an orphan's house." But, in ancient times, cats were so rare that their cost was equal to the cost of three cows or a herd of rams. Although there were animals that were valued on a par with cats … These and many other interesting facts from the life of pets are discussed further in our review.

According to historians, the first domesticated fluffy animals were brought to Russia by seafarers. The migration of cats began very slowly, at first from the southern part of it, and then gradually spread to the north and east. According to the results of excavations, on the territory of the modern Russian cities of Pskov and Yaroslavl, as well as some Baltic cities, the first cats appeared by the 6th-7th centuries, and by the 7th-9th centuries, cats appeared on the territory of Staraya Ladoga and in the Middle Volga region.

The cat, which appeared in the Russian lands even before the adoption of Christianity, was revered as a sacred animal that accompanied the pagan god Veles. After the adoption of the Orthodox faith, the pagan deity was replaced by the patron saint of cattle - St. Blasius. That is why the nickname Vaska has become the most common name for a cat.

Cat in an Orthodox church

It so happened historically that the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages declared cats to be the fiend of hell, henchmen of witches and servants of the devil - especially black ones - and urged them to massacre them by burning them at the stake. But the Orthodox clergy immediately became imbued with "cats" (this is how cats were called in the old days) and took them under their protection.

The main reason for such patronage was that fluffy animals guarded food supplies in monasteries, and therefore deserved special treatment and, unlike dogs, could freely enter Orthodox churches. In Vladimir, Suzdal and many other Russian cities, in the gates in front of the temples, you can see small holes designed specifically for cats to enter.

A cat is an expensive exotic product worth its weight in silver

Of course, at the very beginning of the "settlement" of the Russian lands, cats were not found in the dwellings of mere mortals at all, since these exotic animals were simply beyond their means. They could be afforded by royal families and very wealthy people. So, in patriarchal Moscow, a cat was considered a valuable property and an indispensable attribute of well-being and prosperity in the house.

So, nevertheless, how much did a cat actually cost in the old days? Looking into the historical record, you can read the official records, which say that this creature was worth a lot of money. A unique document made in the XIV century has survived to our times, where the relative value of a cat, a dog, and other livestock was precisely determined by the standards of that time. This original historical decree is called "Metropolitan Justice", and is one of the oldest, where the cat was first mentioned as a domestic animal.

The document dealt with monetary fines for theft of pets. Of course, the amount of the fine fully depended on the value of the stolen animal and indirectly determined its value:

In the old days, the hryvnia was equated with a silver bar weighing 205 grams, and the kun was the 50th part of the hryvnia. Thus, a cat, valued at three hryvnias, was equated with an indispensable ox in the household, as well as a dog. By the way, three frisky young horses, a whole herd of rams or three cows were estimated at three hryvnias. But in order to earn 3 hryvnia, even with a very high salary given by Prince Yaroslav to the builders of the ancient Kiev temple, it was necessary to work without straightening the back for about two months.

Curiously, a cat in the old days could not only be stolen, but also easily killed. The common people had plenty of reasons for this. They looked askance at the rare beast, as it was too mobile and inquisitive, with malicious and demonic habits. Cats darted through other people's cellars, closets and poultry houses, trying to snatch a tidbit. Therefore, the poor people believed that evil came from them, and of course, it was absolutely not a sin to repay the weasels with the same coin.

However, the cat was so rare at the time that stealing it was a hefty fine, in excess of that for stealing a cow. For the accidental or intentional killing of someone else's cat, in addition to paying a fine of one hryvnia, the offender was obliged to purchase another cat for the victim.

Precisely because of its high cost, initially the cat, as a rare and useful piece of luxury, ended up only in rich houses. But gradually, the outlandish beast began to settle in poorer houses.

Royal cats

Of course, cats also took root in the imperial palaces, the storerooms of which also suffered greatly from rodents. They also lived in the royal chambers, and even painted portraits from some favorites. So, in 1661, the artist from Holland Frederic Musheron created a portrait of the beloved cat of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the father of Peter the Great. To this day, the Hermitage keeps an engraving made from a graphic drawing by the Czech artist Vaclav Hollar.

Peter I also had a favorite cat named Vasily. In 1724 the king took it from a Dutch merchant. The tsar, immediately appreciating the benefits brought by these animals, immediately issued a decree: "Have cats in barns to guard them and mice and intimidating rats."

And Empress Elizaveta Petrovna in 1745 ordered the governor of Kazan to deliver 30 best-breed cats from Kazan specially for the Winter Palace and a person who would look after them. At that time, it was believed that the Kazan animals were the best rat-catchers.

But Catherine II, although she did not particularly like cats, entrusted them with an even more important mission: they became the keepers of art galleries, because not only pantries with food, but also works of art painted in oil suffered from rodents. It was from that time that cats took root in the Hermitage and became famous no less than masterpieces of painting or sculpture.

And also the empress, giving the animals a new status, commanded:. The "indoor" were the elite, who were good at catching mice and at the same time were good-looking. Basically, these included cats of the Russian blue breed.

The cat is the mistress in peasant huts, in the markets and is a favorite character of folklore

It was only at the end of the 18th century that cats ceased to be "piece goods". Now they ruled not only at churches, palaces and houses of the rich, but also appeared en masse in the huts of peasants.

In the cities, cats were also "in business." "Working" mainly in the markets, they lived quite freely and well-fed. So, the writer Vladimir Gilyarovsky in his book "Moscow and Muscovites" wrote that the cats of Okhotny Ryad were especially well-fed. Local merchants protected and took pride in their guards for the goods. Well-fed, huge cats were even allowed to sit on the counters. And between the merchants themselves it was like a competition - who has the fatter cat.

It was from that time that the valuable animals loved by everyone became not only characters of Russian folklore and literature, but also significant images of fine art. And what is curious, when in 1853 the Russian writer and linguist Vladimir Dal published a two-volume book "Proverbs of the Russian people", it turned out that cats are mentioned in 75 proverbs.

How cats saved Leningrad

Few people know, but after the blockade of Leningrad was lifted during the Great Patriotic War, cats literally saved the city from the invasion of rats. During the blockade, almost all Leningrad cats either died or were eaten. As a result, the city was quickly flooded with rats, which led to dire consequences. The Soviet writer Leonid Panteleev made an entry in the blockade diary: For comparison: a kilogram of bread from hands was bought for 50 rubles, and the watchman's salary was 120 rubles.

In April 1943, after lifting the blockade, the government made an emergency decision - to bring five thousand smoky cats from Yaroslavl to Leningrad, and a little later - a train of cats from Siberia. The "mewing division" of four-legged fighters was distributed among the museums, basements and surviving residential buildings of the city. After a while, the northern capital, thanks to the cats, was cleared of rodents.

By the way, cats are still in the "service" at the St. Petersburg Hermitage, guarding the basements and storehouses where art exhibits are kept. Each cat has a veterinary passport, a bowl and a sleeping basket. In 2016, the British edition of The Telegraph included the Hermitage cats in the list of unusual sights that must be seen when visiting St. Petersburg.

Director of the Hermitage Mikhail Piotrovsky, giving an interview to Literaturnaya Gazeta in 2014, noted: And they really deserve it …

So, gradually the cat in Russia became the keeper of the house, gaining the glory of the prophetic of the future and the guide to the other world.

And in continuation of the cat theme, the story of why the cat was considered a sacred animal in ancient Egypt, and also find out about where, when and how the Day of the cat is celebrated in our time.