Bastet was the local goddess of Bubastis, a capital of a province of Lower Egypt. She is often regarded as a daughter of the sun god Ra, but sometimes said to be his sister and consort. She was later to become the wife of the creator god Ptah (but so is Sekhmet and they are probably the same goddess).

She was originally a lioness goddess symbolizing both the warmth of the sun and the rage of the sun god's eye. From about 1000 BC she was represented as a cat, or cat-headed woman but continued to posses the qualities of Sekhmet, the lion headed goddess.

Bastet is benevolent, protecting humanity from evil spirits and disease. She is a goddess of fertility, sex and love, and enjoyed music and dancing.

Her cult was centered on her sanctuary at Bubastis and a necropolis has been found containing mummified cats.