If you’re a proud cat parent, chances are you already treat your feline friend like royalty. But did you know your cat might actually be connected to ancient Egyptian nobility? That’s right — for thousands of years, cats used their irresistible charm to captivate the Pharaohs, often sitting by their sides on thrones, basking in the splendor of ancient Egyptian courts. It turns out, our house cats of today could actually be descended from these royal felines.
Dr. Leslie Lyons of the Feline Genetics & Comparative Medicine Lab conducted DNA testing on mummified cats, and her findings support that some of today’s cats may carry the genetic legacy of the Pharaohs’ cats. And thus, the SHEBA® brand’s search to find a royal cat – the one most deserving of their new SHEBA Selections Filets gourmet food topper – began, so the heir could eat like royalty once again.
To document their search, the SHEBA brand partnered with renowned cat enthusiast Nathan the CatLady for an exciting online video series. Over five episodes, Nathan met a collection of cats in the hopes of finding a royal successor, including cats on a farm, in a bodega, library and brewery, and even an influencer cat. With only a 2 percent chance of finding a true descendant of the Pharaohs’ cats in the U.S., according to Dr. Lyons, the SHEBA brand defied the odds and found one!
Introducing Dahab, the newly crowned ruler of social media icons, discovered in Atlanta, Georgia. Through a DNA test, Dr. Lyons uncovered that Dahab’s lineage connects him to the sacred cats of Egypt, and he’s now on a journey to reclaim his throne in the modern world – on social media, of course, where cats always rule. You can follow his adventures on his brand-new Instagram account @DahabThePharaohsCat.
But the journey doesn’t end there. To help others explore whether their cats might be part of this royal lineage, the SHEBA brand has launched the Pharaoh Cat Finder, an innovative AI-powered tool that analyzes your cat’s unique traits. Simply upload a photo of your feline, and the tool will assess its features to determine if your cat exhibits similar traits to the sacred cats of the Nile. Once you get your results, share them and inspire fellow cat lovers to join the fun.
No matter whether your cat’s roots trace back to ancient Egypt, all felines deserve the luxury of premium SHEBA cat food. The latest addition to the SHEBA brand’s portfolio is SHEBA SELECTIONS Filets in Broth — a gourmet treat that can be served as an appetizer, a topper, a mix-in, or a tempting standalone snack for a royal dining experience, any time of day.
Give your cat the royal treatment they deserve with SHEBA SELECTIONS Filets and watch the full video series to see the search for the Pharaoh’s cat descendant from the beginning on the SHEBA brand’s Instagram account.
