Were cats and witches really negative?

Created by - Hemant Pareek

The witch - evil sorceress, seductive enchantress flying in the moonlight. What do we know of her mysterious origin?Who were the real women behind the myth of witches?

The witch,enchantress, the devil's consort, a fierce some being of myth and fairy tale, she has haunted human consciousness for thousands of years. The witch remains a chilling specter that captures human imagination and baffles us with mysteries.

What is a witch? When exactly did the belief in witches originate? Do they exist or are they merely bizarre creation of human imagination? Over centuries the image of a witch has undergone several transformations. perhaps no figure in myth or legend has been so despised as the witch. In their earliest beginnings magical female beings who possessed supernatural powers were not seen as a source of evil.
Witches have been around as long as since human community has been trying to fight disease.It may be that they developed from early goddess cults that these are the women who served the goddess.

The goddess figures dating back around 20,000 years were believed for their magical abilities to enhance fertility and nurture the land. All powerful creation deities, they held sway over the forces of universe.For thousand years, creation goddess was honored as the all powerful divine force. She was known by names.
In ancient Mesopotamian she was called Inanna, the queen of heaven. In Egypt, the predominant civilization of the ancient world, she was known as Isis. In the land of Canaan, she was Asherah. All of them were supreme goddesses who presided over the sacred forces of life and death, worshiped by those who relied on earth's fertility for their survival.
Not only did the ancients worshiped powerful female deities, but throughout middle east often those who practiced the holiest rituals were women. could these priestesses, trained in sacred art have been the antecedents of witch. Over the centuries, these ancient priestesses came to be known as wise women.

From the early rituals prying to sacred ceremonies which would later be known as witchcraft,what magical power did these so called 'ancient wise women' posses? Accounts from Turkey describe how the ancient wise women would sit inside a circle drawn with salt to reside their magical implantation.
Their ritual objects were simple, but they were believed to posses awesome powers of healing and protection.
They were so positively viewed by the society they lived in. No king could be without their consult, no army could recover from a defeat without their ritual activities, no baby could be born without their presence!


Source :
Documentary on Incredible History of Witches, 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG4EH3FQjnI

How cats and witches become a perfect Pair

A witch with black cat performing some ritual.

HOW BLACK CATS AND WITCHES BECOME A PERFECT PAIR

                 Black Cats                                                              Witches

·         Ancient gods took the forms of, and were occasionally personified by black cats, specifically the Egyptian Goddesses Bast and Isis.  The Greco-Roman GoddessDiana Triformis and Tergemina — Selena/Luna (full moon, mother), Artemis/Diana (waxing moon, virgin), Hecate (dark moon, crone) — especially Diana often appeared in the form of a black cat.  Black cats, being the representatives of the goddess, get spoiled by the priestesses.	·         People revered the Sun and Moon and considered them gods.  Later the followers of lunar and solar divinities associated specific animals with them.  The cat, particularly the black cat, represented the Moon.  People domesticated cats not just because they were good at keeping vermin away, but they made great companions.  Roman goddess Diana transformed into a black cat several times, becoming her priestesses’ favorite temple consort.
·         Associated with goddess Diana and many goddesses associated with the Moon, including a few gods who ruled the Sun, all cats became symbolic of fertility and women.  The Daughters of Diana, her priestesses, dressed in black robes, some made from the skins/fur of black cats for their powerful association with the goddess.	·          The ancient Dianic Cult (possibly ones like it) spreads throughout the known world, going as far north as the British Isles.  Goddesses from other cultures could be easily identified with the Virgin Diana.  Her priestesses wear robes of black, black representing the color of the earth, womb, and the night sky.  Black cats were revered for this holy association.
·         Black cats symbolic of magic and darkness after the goddess Diana, who later would be known as Queen of the Witches, when her cult went underground and eventually faded from history.	·         Diana’s religion went against patriarchal rule because its chief leaders were women.  The Daughters of Diana go underground and worship in secret.
·         Before the Dianic cult is dead in the north, Rome became Christian and soon anything having to do with the pagan gods must be done away with.  The Black Cat, symbol and companion, often personification of the goddesses of fertility and magic, soon gained a bad reputation.  No longer a symbol of life, the black cat became harbinger of bad luck and death.	·         Celtic version of Hecate (Diana’s crone form) known asNicneven was worshiped when a multi-cultural intermixing of Celt, Goth, and Roman faiths were accepted.  The Diana/Hecate cult survived “with considerable vigour” in Scotland until the 18th century, but was fading before the Medieval persecutions.  Hecate/Nicneven could transform into creatures — a black cat come to visit could be the dark goddess come as a warning of death to come.
·         Domesticated and no longer revered as gods in fur coats, cats had a job: to get rid of vermin.  This gave them the power to protect the homes of humans from parasites and disease-carrying rats.  They also had another job: provide companionship to the lonely, becoming the favorites of the widows and elderly.  Women especially loved their cats, so cats became known as “house cats” just as wives are “housewives.”	·         After ancient pagan mystery cults fade into obscurity, and/or their followers wiped out by invading cultures, some evidence suggests that their healing and magical ways were passed down between women.  The cures and spells were called Witchcraft by the Saxons who had a distaste for it, considering it treason and a sin.  It wasn’t punishable by death until the 13th century.
·         Black cats were accused of being Witches because; they had black fur,  they had strange sexual lives, they howled, they were scary, their growl was otherworldly, women kept them as pets, women talked to them.	·         Women were accused of being Witches because; they had sex, they gave birth, they lived longer than men, they seemed to love animals — especially their cats — more than they did their husbands.
·         Black cats are thought to be Witches in animal form and are hunted down and destroyed by the thousands.	·         Women are accused of being Witches mostly because they are women.  They are said to take the forms of black cats nine times in their lifetime.
·         Black cats are thought to be the personification of the Devil.	·         Witches are thought to commune with the Devil who takes the form of a black cat.
·         Black cats hunted by gypsies and sorcerers for their magical properties.  It was believed that they had psychic power and were the preferred form that demons and other spirits liked to possess when called upon to complete a task for a magician.	·         It was believed that every Witch was supposed to have a black cat present with them at all times.  A spirit assumed the body of the black cat to perform the Witches’ tasks of maleficia against their neighbors.

Resource:
Black cat power-Part I, By Valentina

valentinathewitch.wordpress.com 

Image from https://www.pinterest.com 

My Experience with a black cat

Strange appearance of a black kitten.
Photograph by 'Tanya Aggarwal'

Hey!
I have been talking a lot about black cats lately, and you all might be wondering that did I ever had an acquaintance with a black cat?
Well,apparently Yes!

It was a cold Sunday morning. As quiet as one could imagine! My own cat was out, sitting in our Veranda and watching the world (and dogs fighting with each other!) My mom was making us breakfast when we heard  a very low but loud meow coming from outside. Scared that something might have happened to our cat, we rushed to look out for her. As soon as we opened the door, we were greeted by this little kitten, all black, yellow eyes, thick fur and fat kitten - who must be aged between 2-3 weeks. First time in my life I saw  A BLACK CAT!

Seeing us, she started meowing even more. I was so excited as well as astonished because a black kitten,so young that too, coming to our house is a difficult task for the stray dogs are always sitting in front of my house (maybe because of my habit of feeding them regularly!)

My pet cat did not accept her presence which was quite evident from her howling on the kitten.She fluffed up her tail, humped her back and screamed loud (maybe to 'shoo off' the kitten.) The kitten didn't mind it at all and gave no attention to my cat. She finished her milk and went to hide between the miscellaneous things lying in our veranda while I kept peeking after every five minute to keep a check on the kitty! (I was a bit too excited about the strange appearance of the black cat)!

On the breakfast table, we all started discussing the various ways the kitten could come to our house. Maybe she got lost from her mom or maybe her mom left her purposefully at our place. One thing that also caught our attention was maybe 'black magic'? After all, myths and superstitions are there about strange appearance of a black cat.
Because it was cold outside, I made her a Sweater out of old socks we had, and made her wear it!
It was mid afternoon when I realised that the kitty had pooped and it ought to be cleaned. I was devastated because the cat dirtied the veranda as well as herself. Her clothe got dirty.It was so young that it didn't even know how to poop properly! I swore to clean the veranda as well as the kitten!
Fetched hot water-shampoo-clean cloth-another socks. Holding the kitten from her scurf, I started to wipe her. That is when I realised that the kitten had a very strange smell. Not the normal kind, odour that even shampoo couldn't neutralise.

It was evening by the time wiping and cleaning was finished. I placed a carton with a sack inside it for the kitten to hide at night ( and to avoid cold wind)!  But, When It was dark and I went to check again on her, she was gone. How, Where, When - was not known!

We prayed for her well being and the day ended.

The questions that this encounter left me with were, is black magic real? How could such a young kitten who couldn't even walk properly appear at our veranda? Where did she come from? Who is her mother? Where did she go?

But, Hopefully till now nothing bad happened.
The black cat came and went away, maybe her mother left her there and took her when it was dark,
After all, Its Not a cat's fault that she is born BLACK!

Black Cats are not negative!

Even Though You Think That I Am A Witch reborn, But I am not And I  Promise You That I will Never let you down!

Picture edit by Tanya Aggarwal

Fall of Cats

The Fall of cats

During the medieval times, cats started being associated with witches. Witches were women who has magical powers and used that to cure and heal people and also to help them.

A witch's Black Cat.
Photograph from Google images.

Later,the witches were considered as those who did black magic and had associations with the Satan. Thus the cats were blamed to be evil and were considered to be included in the black magic as well.

Black Death, Europe

The spread of plague, was caused by the rodents. But the people blamed the cats, stating that cats are witches in disguise and have done some black magic which caused the plague. Thousands of Cats were burnt alive under this pretext. Very late it was realized that it was the rodents who were the reason behind the plague and the departed souls could have helped to control it.But still, the cats were already defamed.
Since then, the cats carried the image of evil and bad. Since then, they are considered the harbinger of bad luck and negativity. 

Origin of cats and their rise

Cats in ancient Egypt adorned in gold.

History of cats started way back to the ancient Egyptians 4000 years ago. The Egyptians domesticated cat to control vermin which was harming crop and causing disease. Cats being very good at catching rats attracted them to stay at the place and not leave it. Because of this the way of living of Egyptians changed and cats became a symbol of life thus becoming sacred creatures.They were associated with Goddess Bastet,who was considered the God of well being, fertility and goddess of cat.
Exporting a cat out of Egypt and killing a cat,both were punishable by death.

Goddess Bastet;The Goddess of cat.

During battle of Pelusium (between Egypt and Persia), Persians made representation of Bastet on their armour because of which the Egyptians could not attack them and lost the battle.Thus, letting out cats of Egypt by Persians. That's how the cat spread across the world.

Mummified Cat.

Death of a cat in a family was evidenced by deep mourning and all the members of family shaving off their eyebrows. They came out of mourning when the eyebrows grew back.

The status of cats were so high that they were even mummified and then buried.
The Pharaohs buried were guarded by cat statues on either side.

Images from Google image.

Superstitions on a cat

There are many superstitions surrounding a cat (black cat,in particular). 

• If a black cat crosses your path, it is considered a bad omen while a cat giving birth to kittens at your house is considered a good one.
• A cat crying facing you house is a sign of ill health or even death of a family member whereas hearing a cat sneeze is supposed to bring you good luck.
• If you see black cat early morning then your whole day is ruined.
• Cats are witches in disguise.
• A cat has nine lives.
• If you kill a cat then you have to donate a cat made of gold or else black luck will be until then.

Many of these may be true or may not be.Many people believe in these superstitions while many don't. What I want to discuss now and later is the concept of a black cat being associated with witches. Black cats were considered the 'familiars' which is a friend of a witch. 

Why was it that a cat only was associated with a witch? -Why not a dog or rabbit or any other animal?

Cats were more often associated with evil than other animals because of their nocturnal and independent nature. cats have been a mystery as well as loved by many and hated by others.They have distinct personalities and a seemingly mysterious way and thus have been mistaken for being evil. Also, because of their ability to remain unseen in dark places/night, they were considered an  ideal  witch partner.