Animal mummies unwrapped with new technology
Ancient Egyptians really respected animals. In fact of all ancient civilizations, the Egyptians seem to have used animal images in their writing and in their worship. One of the main Egyptian goddesses was Bastet, who represented motherhood and was depicted as a woman with a cat's head.
Bastet
Egyptians also mummified animals just like they mummified humans. Mummification was considered necessary in order to live again in the afterlife. So these ancient people mummified cats, crocodiles, birds, dogs and other animals. They did this to deeply loved pets, so they could join their owners in the afterlife or as offerings to the gods. Now, scientists are able to use micro-ct (3D x-ray) scanners to reveal the inside of animal mummies without unwrapping them. They can also use 3-D printed models of the animal bones to reconstruct them and to examine the condition the animals were in when they were mummified more than two thousand years ago. The mummified animals were in varied conditions, some well cared for and some had injuries. But in all cases the Egyptians carefully mummified the animals.
See the articles to learn more:
X-rays reveal what ancient animal mummies keep under wraps
Unprecedented 3-D view inside Animal Mummies
Question: would you mummify your pets?
Scan of mummified cat 
Various mummified animals in wrappings
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