It has often been remarked that while dogs invariably show affection for particular individuals cats seem to become more attached to places. The only exception is said to be the Siamese cat, which follows its owner like a dog.
Among the African natives, however, there is a belief that the cat's apparent attachment to any particular dwelling is really a desire for the society of the woman of the house. According to this legend, before cats became domesticated there was a battle among the beasts of the jungle in which the lion proved to be the most powerful. The cat followed the lion, and became his servant, until the lion was killed in an encounter with an angry elephant.
Then the cat transferred its allegiance to the elephant and rode about on his back until that great animal fell into a pit which a man had dug for him. The man came up and killed the elephant with a spear, whereupon the cat followed the man; but when the man returned to his village he got into trouble with his wife, because he had not brought home enough provisions. They came to blows, and the woman knocked the man senseless by hitting him over the head with a cooking pot.
Immediately the cat attached itself to the woman, and, not being able to find any more cunning or powerful ally in nature, has remained in that association ever since.
The Irish Times, December 15th, 1930