In folklore and mythology, witches often have familiar spirits or animal companions called supernatural cats. These cats are said to possess magical powers and aid the witch in her spellcasting and various other activities. They are believed to be able to communicate with the spirit world, see beyond the physical realm, and bring good luck or misfortune depending on their mood. Supernatural cats are often described as being unusually large or having peculiar features like extra toes or mismatched eyes. They are said to be able to shape-shift into different forms, such as a black cat or a small mouse, to better assist the witch in her tasks. These cats are often depicted as having a strong connection to the moon and being able to harness its energy for their own magical purposes.
Further reading:
Accusers, witnesses, magistrates, and pamphleteers all imagined these animals as the witch s link with the Devil; the witch s way of accessing the harmful magic that could kill children, torture neighbours, lame cattle, and make men impotent. Millar, Charlotte-Rose, Sleeping with Devils The Sexual Witch in Seventeenth-Century England, in Supernatural and Secular Power in Early Modern England, edited by Victoria Bladen and Marcus Harmes, Farnham, Surrey Ashgate, 2015.
These cats are often depicted as having a strong connection to the moon and being able to harness its energy for their own magical purposes. The relationship between a witch and her supernatural cat is often portrayed as one of deep mutual understanding and companionship. The cat acts as a guardian and guide for the witch, providing her with wisdom and support in her magical endeavors.
More Familiar Than You Might Think: The Black Cat in Popular Culture
A casual google of ‘Halloween’ will throw up a few things. There are the ubiquitous pumpkins, the skeletons, the ghosts. There are even some rather disturbing pet costumes involving all three of these things. And there are the cats. Always black cats, always a staple of anything witchy or supernatural. Cats are witchy. Anyone who grew up watching 90s television (perhaps not a large contingent of my current audience…) can tell you this. The reason that we watched Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, was not for the rather worrying high-school politics, but for her adorable talking cat, Salem. Everyone knows that a witch will have a black cat. But how many people can actually tell you why?
For the answer to this question we need to go back about four hundred years to England during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603). This was the period when witch-trials really took off in England. Between 1558 and 1736, approximately 1000 men and women (but mainly women) were tried for witchcraft. Of these, about half were executed. Witch-trials were often the subject of sensational pamphlet accounts; stories circulated in the public domain. In a significant portion of these narratives, witches were portrayed as people who owned small, domestic animals: often in the form of cats. These creatures were known as familiar spirits. They did not have to be cats. Although they most commonly appeared as such, they also appeared (in descending order) as dogs, toads, wild birds, poultry, moles, and rats. Some took far more exotic forms. Take, for example, the talking familiar with a head like an ape that appeared at the bottom of one accused witch’s bed. Or the dog with horns on its head. Or the animal that chose to appear as first as a bear, then a horse, a cow and, finally, a dragon. Some familiars looked normal but had strange characteristics; like the mole that appeared normal until it spoke in a hollow voice. Or the two familiars, Grissell and Greedigut, that were described as being in the shape of dogs with great bristles of hog’s hair on their backs. Whatever form familiars took they performed one role: they were animalistic embodiments of the Devil
Kit the cat, a familiar from the TV series ‘Charmed’.
This information may surprise some people. Not least the owners of the shop in a famous Melbourne arcade who advertised a children’s holiday programme that would help them to find their familiar spirit (I really should have gone but it would have looked a bit odd without a convenient child). I have often wondered if the makers of Sabrina or Charmed knew about the demonic origins of the creatures they were so cosily introducing. Witches were believed to enter into a pact with the Devil, who appeared to them in animal form. By promising a demonic animal their soul, witches traded away their very being for the ability to hurt their neighbours, to get rich, or to take revenge on the many people who they believed had injured them. But perhaps these cosy depictions from 90s television are actually wholly appropriate. Witches in early modern England were believed to have affectionate, intimate relationships with their familiar spirits. They fed them (sometimes with milk but more often with blood from their own bodies), made them nests out of wool, and slept with them in bed.
How are we to understand familiar spirits? These creatures clearly were not actually animalistic incarnations of the Devil, but this does not mean that they did not exist. I would argue that the very ordinary, domestic nature of these spirits implies strongly that sightings of familiars were based on real sightings of animals whom old, often lonely men and women formed relationships with. Many witches were condemned for talking to these creatures – and of course talking to an animal can only mean that it is demonic. Accusers, witnesses, magistrates, and pamphleteers all imagined these animals as the witch’s link with the Devil; the witch’s way of accessing the harmful magic that could kill children, torture neighbours, lame cattle, and make men impotent. But how did witches view these creatures?
Except for a brief period during the 1640s, accused witches were not tortured in England. In many ways this makes it more difficult to understand why so many men and women confessed to crimes that they could not possibly have committed. Hundreds of people confessed to making a pact with their demonic familiars and to sending them to harm those who had wronged them. So how should we read these stories?
Surprisingly enough, anyone who has read Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy may know of one possible answer to this question. Pullman’s animalistic creatures, known as daemons, were described as manifestations of a person’s inner self. These creatures were intelligent, emotionally aware, and reflected aspects of their companion’s personality. I would argue that this is how we should look at witches’ confessions of harming people with their familiars. Familiars were not just black cats or other domestic animals. They served as physical manifestations of witches’ unutterable emotions: of extreme rage, anger, malice, envy, hatred and, in some cases, love. Witches used their demonic creatures to act upon these emotions. Without their cats, witches had no power but, with them, they were able to take credit for the illness that killed the man who slapped them in the street, or the woman who refused them alms. The black cat was a powerful figure and, even early in the witch-trials, owning one of these familiar spirits was enough to result in arrest, trial and, for some men and women, death. The association between cats and witchcraft is so strong that it continues four hundred years later; even when we no longer remember why.
Those interested in the links between witchcraft and emotions in early modern Europe and beyond may like to attend our upcoming symposium: Witchcraft and Emotions: Media and Cultural Meanings. This symposium will be held from the 25 th – 27 th November 2015 at Graduate House, The University of Melbourne.
Charlotte-Rose Millar is an Associate Investigator and research assistant based at the University of Melbourne. Her PhD was completed through the Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions at the University of Melbourne with Prof. Charles Zika. Her research focuses on early modern English witchcraft, diabolism, popular print and emotional experience. More on her research here.
Further reading:
Millar, Charlotte-Rose, “Sleeping with Devils: The Sexual Witch in Seventeenth-Century England,” in Supernatural and Secular Power in Early Modern England, edited by Victoria Bladen and Marcus Harmes, (Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, 2015).
Oldridge, Darren, The Devil in Early Modern England, (Stroud: Sutton, 2000).
Sharpe, James, “The Witch’s Familiar in Elizabethan England,” in Authority and Consent in Tudor England: Essays Presented to C.S.L. Davies, edited by George W. Bernard and Steven J. Gunn, (Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, 2002).
Wilby, Emma, “The Witch’s Familiar and the Fairy in Early Modern England and Scotland,” Folklore 111 (2000): 283-305.
In return, the witch takes care of the cat and relies on its supernatural abilities to help her in her witchcraft. The folklore surrounding witches and their supernatural cats varies across different cultures and time periods. In some stories, witches are seen as evil and their cats are believed to be demonic entities. In others, witches and their cats are portrayed as wise and benevolent beings, using their magic for good purposes. Regardless of the specific mythology, the presence of a supernatural cat in witchcraft tales highlights the connection between humans and animals, as well as the mystical and mysterious nature of witchcraft itself. In conclusion, the concept of a witch having a supernatural cat as a companion is a prevalent theme in folklore and mythology. These cats are often depicted as possessing magical powers and assisting the witch in her spellcasting and other activities. The relationship between a witch and her cat is one of deep understanding and companionship, with the cat providing wisdom and support in return for the witch's care and reliance on its supernatural abilities. The folklore surrounding witches and their supernatural cats varies across different cultures and time periods, but it always highlights the mystical and mysterious nature of witchcraft..
Reviews for "The Witch's Best Friend: The Supernatural Cat and Its Role in Spellcasting"
1) Rebecca - ★☆☆☆☆
I found "Witch and supernatural cat" to be a highly disappointing read. The plot was predictable and lacked any originality, while the characters felt flat and one-dimensional. The writing style was also quite dull, as it failed to evoke any emotions or create a sense of immersion in the story. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging and captivating read.
2) Robert - ★★☆☆☆
"Witch and supernatural cat" had the potential to be an interesting story, but it ultimately fell short. The pacing was inconsistent, with long periods of nothing happening followed by rushed and confusing action scenes. The dialogue was clunky and unrealistic, making it difficult to connect with the characters. Additionally, the world-building was underdeveloped and left many unanswered questions. In the end, I found myself feeling unsatisfied and disappointed by this book.
3) Emily - ★★☆☆☆
As a fan of fantasy and supernatural novels, I was excited to read "Witch and supernatural cat", but unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations. The narrative lacked depth and failed to create a compelling atmosphere. The protagonist was underdeveloped and lacked agency, making it difficult to root for her. The cat, which was supposed to be a major part of the story, felt like an afterthought and was not utilized to its full potential. Overall, I found this book to be unremarkable and forgettable.