Catgods

A line of Cat Gods in the Nubian Temple of Dendur, Egypt, 15 B.C.E. Picture taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York where the temple is exhibited since 1978.
Picture is courtesy of jaylevine from Flickr.

Ancient Egyptian mythology has it that Lions or Cats represent Creation. That’s why their gods had masks in these shapes (as well as other animals masks), i.e., The Goddess Bast - protects cats as well as women and children.