The daughter of Ra, Bastet (earlier known as Bast) is a goddess of protection.  In early representations, Bastet was represented as a lion.  She took on the appearance of a domestic cat around the time that her name changed (New Kingdom).  However, she kept the ferocity of the lion, protecting hearth and kingdom with the same vigor.  Bastet was a goddess of fertility and the patron goddess of pregnant women.  Due to the popularity of Bastet, cats were extremely revered in Egypt.  Cats in Egyptian art reference Bastet and thousands of cat mummies were created in offering to her.