Bastet (Bast, Baset, Ubasti, Pasht) was an ancient solar & war goddess, who was worshipped at least since the Second Dynasty. The center of her following was in Per-Bast (Bubastis), which was named after her. She was originally viewed as the protector goddess of Lower Egypt, and therefore depicted as a fierce lioness (her name means 'female devourer'). As protector, she was seen as the pharoah's defender, and defender of the later chief male deity Ra (also a solar deity), which gained her the titles 'Lady of Flame' and 'Eye of Ra'.

Due to the severe disaster that mice and rats could cause to the food supply, and their ability to fight and kill snakes (especially cobras), cats in Egypt were revered highly, sometimes being given golden jewelry to wear and allowed to eat from the same plates as their owners. Consequently as the main cat (rather than lioness) deity, Bastet was strongly revered as the patron of cats, and it was in the temple at Per-Bast that dead (and mummified) cats were brought for burial. More than 300,000 mummified cats were discovered when Bast's temple at Per-Bast was excavated. Egyptians believed that when a cat in the family died, its body should be displayed outside of the home as a sign of respect.