Envis Centre, Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. of India

Printed Date: Sunday, April 2, 2023

Cat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientific name

 

Felis silvestris Linn.

 

Common name

 

Cat

 

Hindi

 

Billi

 

Sanskrit 

 

Marjarah

 

Distribution

 

Throughout India

 

Religious association

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The domestic cat is the vehicle of goddess Shashthi, a goddess of fertility who is popular in West Bengal and Maharashtra. 



 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: “Sacred Animals Of India” by  Nanditha Krishna,  (Penguin Book India, 2010)

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shashthi#/media/File:Shashthi.jpg 

https://www.petsworld.in/blog/indian-billi-cat-breed.html