The Black Cat
by Heather Maureen Millott
When we think of Halloween it conjures up many images in our
heads - ghosts, witches, mummies, skeletons and the like. We
also see black cats being advertised everywhere but
why...and why does the black cat get such a bad rap?
We see images of cats with their backs arched, fur
disheveled, claws out and ready to pounce on us. Let's not
forget the old adage "when a black cat crosses your path,
there is bad luck to come". Cats have also been said to have
supernatural powers. They were not always feared, in fact
the Egyptians bestowed great divine status on them and would
punish by death any man who killed a cat. If a cat died the
whole household would go into mourning and burial ceremonies
would be held. It was from the Egyptians that the belief
comes of cats having nine lives.
Later
centuries changed all that. Let us go back to the early
world, a place where witches had a pact with the devil and
black cats were blamed for the wrongs of the medieval world.
Famine, death and even plague were said to be brought on by
witches and their familiars. In the Middle Ages, cats were
said to be demonic. Back in the 1600's accused witches were
usually single women or widows who kept cats as pets,
probably more for companionship than anything else. Village
gossip made this relationship far more ominous. In the
townspeople's minds, these "witches" began shape-shifting
into cats.
In a witch trial in Scotland, one supposed witch explained
how the women managed this trick, saying that Devil appeared
among them turning them into snarling four-legged beasts.
This idea also was popular during the Salem witch trials.
Sarah, the 7-year-old daughter of accused witch Martha
Carrier, testified that "a cat, identifying herself as
Martha Carrier, had carried her along to afflict people
while her mother was in prison." In the end Martha was
convicted and hanged. Cats all over Europe were being tagged
as devil's work.
Today cats are still very much identified with witchcraft,
and no depiction of the Halloween haggle-toothed witch is
complete without her pointy hat and black cat riding on her
broomstick.
The cat has done very little to change its image. Slinking
out into the dead of night, slipping beneath the garden gate
and seeming to to disappear at will. Not to mention hunting
for prey and its nocturnal howling under the new moon which
only add to its already mystical reputation.
I read somewhere once that a cat will "steal a new baby's
breath". I still wonder where this myth comes from. Maybe
from the fact that some cats, including my own, like to
sleep across its human's face or head. Many a night have I
gotten up with Gabriel's paw on my head or tail up my nose.
I know he sinisterly laughs at me as I shove him off onto
the pillow. I asked Gabriel what he thinks of all of this
and he just gives me a kind of disgusted look. He is waiting
for our nightly stroll out in the gardens, just an old crone
and her cat.
Till
next time,
Heather
About the Author:
Heather Millott is a
Halloween artist who admits to being shamelessly addicted to
primitive folk and vintage Halloween art. Each month she
plans to bring us another "Curious Good.." column. If you have a
story suggestion for her, feel free to email her. Visit
Heather here on HalloweenArtists.com or on her website at
www.witchhollowprimitives.com.
