Cats have played a significant role in ancient Egyptian society, where they were highly valued for their ability to keep homes free from rats and venomous snakes. In fact, families would even give their cats names and adorn them with jeweled collars. Interestingly, the word “cat” itself can be traced back to Egypt. The African word “quattah” served as the inspiration for the word “cat” in many European languages, such as the Spanish word “gato” and the French word “chat.” This linguistic connection arose because the Egyptians strictly prohibited the export of their cats, although some Greeks managed to smuggle a few out to sell to other countries.
In the town of Talkeetna, Alaska, a cat named Stubbs held the honorary position of mayor for an impressive 20 years. This unique role highlights the special place that cats hold in our lives. Perhaps if more towns followed suit, the world would be a better place, albeit with a few more scratch-poles scattered around. With the increasing number of people working from home, it’s not uncommon to see their feline companions making appearances during virtual meetings. Cats have a knack for choosing the perfect moment to sit on keyboards or show their behinds to meeting participants. It’s as if they want to assert their ownership over their humans and remind everyone that the person you’re talking to is “theirs.” After all, humans are merely borrowing their time and must fulfill their most important duty: worshipping the cat and, of course, feeding them.
This brings us to an interesting topic: Value Added Tax (VAT) on animal food. In many countries, animal food may be subject to a reduced VAT rate. However, determining what qualifies as animal foodstuff can sometimes be challenging. Distinctions are made between food for animals, pet food, and food for working animals, each with its own set of conditions and VAT rates. Similar discussions are also taking place regarding food for human consumption. In the Netherlands, for example, there were debates about applying a VAT zero-rate to “fresh fruit and vegetables.” However, a study revealed that it was too difficult to define which products would meet the criteria of being “fresh and unprocessed.”
In the midst of these discussions, it’s worth taking a moment to follow our cats’ advice: stretch! Just like a cat scratching a pole, it’s essential to stretch and move around instead of remaining seated behind a desk all day. Of course, this advice may not apply when you’re engrossed in reading the articles on our website, as that’s always time well spent!
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