On cats been called miu:
The ancient Egyptians were respectful towards the animals that shared their world and associated many of them with deities or positive human characteristics. However, no animal was held in such esteem as the cat. Cats were closely connected to a number of gods and goddesses, and there is evidence that they were considered to be demi-gods in their own right. As an inscription in the Royal Tombs of Thebes states;
"Thou art the Great Cat, the avenger of the Gods, and the judge of words, and the president of the sovereign chiefs and the governor of the holy Circle; thou art indeed … the Great Cat." — Inscription on the Royal Tombs at Thebes
The ancient Egyptians did not distinguish between wild cats and domesticated cats; all cats were known as "miu" or "miut" often translated as "he or she who mews". The origin of this name is not clear but it seems likely that it is an onomatopoetic reference to the sound a cat makes: mew. However, some scholars have suggested that it also related to the word miw (to see). It seems that it was rare for a cat to be given its own specific name rather than being called "miu" or "miut". There are exceptions such as the cat named "Nedjem" meaning "sweetie". Little girls were often named "Miut" literally meaning "female cat" displaying the Egyptians fondness for both cats and children. Cats were also important in the interpretation of dreams. Apparently seeing a cat in your dream confirmed that you would have a good harvest.
The most famous cat deity was Bastet but there are also a number of other ancient Egyptian gods who were associated with cats. Neith occasionally took the form of a cat and the cat was one of Mut's sacred symbols. Both the Book of Gates and the Book of Caverns refer to a cat god named Miuty (or Mati or Meeyuty). This god protects the Eleventh Division of the Duat in the Book of Gates (the division just before dawn) and watches over the enemies of Ra in the Book of Caverns. It is also possible that this deity is one and the same as "Mauti" who is depicted in the Tomb of Seti II and may also refer to Mau or Mau-Aa (the great cat) as a form of Ra.
In the Seventeenth Chapter of the Book of the Dead, Ra takes on the form of a cat named simply "Mau" (cat) in order to kill the serpent Apep. The text reads;
"I am the cat (Mau), who fought hard by the Persea tree in Annu on the night when the foes of Neb-er-tcher, were destroyed", The male cat is Ra himself and he is called "Mau" because of the words of the god Sa, who said about him, "who is like (mau) unto him?" and thus his name became "Mau" (cat). "
Cats were also associated with the Eye of Ra and linked to the goddess Isis because they were perceived to be great mothers.
Meow.😸
