Cats In History: The Victorian Era

The prize winners from the first cat show in 1871.
Image courtesy of http://www.harrisonweir.com

Chances are, if you are reading this, you like cats.  You may even have a cat or two (or three, or four, or…) living with you.  When you think of domestic cats you probably imagine small, furry creatures who are supposed to live in people’s houses and be treated as a member of the family. You might even think that the idea of a cat living outdoors, on the streets is sad or somehow wrong.

People haven’t always thought that way about cats. From the Middle Ages until the Victorian Era, cats were viewed as “useful animals”, but not widely viewed as pets. Humans kept cats around to control rodent populations and that is pretty much it. Cats were expected to live outside and wander the streets, fending for themselves. During these times, people had little regard for animals in general, treating them more like things than living, breathing, valuable creatures.

Treat Me Like A Queen

One of Queen Victoria’s cats.
Image courtesy of http://www.Eurofancy.de

The Victorian Era changed everything for cats. Queen Victoria had been very isolated during her childhood due to the schemes of her mother. Animals and dolls were the only companions that she had. Perhaps this is why Queen Victoria would become an avid animal lover and advocate for animal rights. She concerned with the treatment of domestic animals.  Queen Victoria funded school prizes for essays written about kindness to animals. She spoke out publicly against the practice of vivisection (doing experiments on live animals) calling it “a disgrace to a civilized country.”  In 1840, she gave her official patronage to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (thus it is “royal”).  However, she did show a bit of hypocrisy with her love of hunting sports.

Queen Victoria owned many pets (she especially loved her dogs). Most notably, she owned 2 blue Persian cats that she was fascinated with. Some say this was because of a work put out by Charles Darwin regarding his observations of the different types of cats he had seen. He had noted that most of the cats he observed looked very similar (other than different coloring) with the exception of Persians and Manx.

The British people followed the Queen’s lead and fell in love with cats. Discovering different breeds of cat soon became of great public interest. Having pet cats that were lavished with affection caught on like wildfire. Some people began to personify cats so much that they would clothe them to keep them from being immodest.

Showing It All Off

The 1st Cat Show in 1871.
Image courtesy of http://www.Squidoo.com

Artist, illustrator, and animal lover, Harrison Weir, organized the first ever cat show in 1871. This was an affair for the upper class and aristocrats to show off their beloved cats and compete for a prize. The allowed breeds included: Black, White, Tabby, and Longhairs. The public couldn’t wait to see all the different types of cats. The show would have 170 entrants and more than 20,000 visitors! A second show was created to include the cats of the “working class.” “Cat Fancys” as the shows were known quickly spread around the globe.  The first Cat Fancy in the U.S. was at Madison Square Garden in 1895.

Harrison Weir had been considered very knowledgeable about breeding animals. In 1892 he published a book called Our Cats and All About Them. The book talks about the different breeds he has identified, caring for cats, cat shows, and some humor. The entire book can be read online for free and there is also a free audio book version. To view them click Our Cats book online or Our Cats audio book.

Other Victorian Cat Lovers

There were a number of famous cat lovers throughout the Victorian Era that helped our view of cats to become what it is today.  Here are just a few of them:

• Louis Wain – An artist and cat lover that drew anthropomorphic cats (standing up right and behaving as humans) .
• Louis Carroll – Author of Alice In Wonderland.
• Beatrix Potter – Author of Peter Rabbit
• Thomas Hardy – English novelist and poet
• Mark Twain – American author and humorist
• Henry James – American/British author
• Alfred Tennyson – Poet Laureate of Great Britan and Ireland during Queen Victoria’s reign
• John Keats – English romantic poet

2nd Cat Show 1871
Image courtesy of http://www.harrisonweir.com

Cats in History: Chinese Truth and Mythology

The Chinese Year of the Horse will be galloping in this Friday. Have you ever noticed that there is no Chinese Year of the Cat? Yes, there is a Tiger, but no domestic cats. Somehow the house cat was passed by in the Chinese Zodiac and the  28 Xing Xiu ( a system that divides the 28 areas of the constellations). There is also no mention of cats on the Buddhist list of protected animals. Did they not know about cats? Actually, one Chinese myth says that cats fell asleep at Buddha’s funeral and, therefore, were not added to the list of protected animals. Join me for a look at where cats are found in Chinese history!

The Science of History

Feline bone fragments found in China.
Photo courtesy of motherboardvice.com

In November of 2013 it was announced that archaeologists from the National Academy of Sciences had found some new and compelling evidence about the domestication of cats.  At a dig site in the village of Quanhucun in China, 8 bone fragments belonging to at least 2 different cats were found: one left jawbone, 2 pelvic bones, and 5 leg bones. The bones were carbon dated and revealed to be about 5,300 years old. What does that prove? Well, the earliest art we have from Ancient Egypt depicting domesticated cats is 4,000 years old. Cats were in China about 1,300 years before they were domesticated in Ancient Egypt.

There is even more interesting news to come from this study. The bones were put through isotope analysis to determine what the diet of these cats was like. As one would expect, the diets were largely made of protein (probably from eating rodents), but one of the cats also showed a large amount of grain. The scientists have proposed that the grain in this cat’s diet could be a sign of domestication.

Here is how how the theory goes; the ancient Chinese farmers had a diet high in grains, millet, and other agricultural sorts of foods. Rodents would get into the fields and storage facilities and eat the grains – which posed a real problem for the farmers. Following the food chain, cats would come along to eat the rodents and thus would gain favor from the farmers. Recognizing the mutually beneficial relationship they could have with cats, farmers would feed the cats from their own stores of food to keep them coming around.  Scientists believe that this relationship between cats and ancient Chinese farmers would explain the grain in the cats’ diets and provide the earliest proof of the domestication of cats.

Presenting the Myth of Cat Goddess Li Shou

Xu Beihong’s Cat
Image courtesy of Asian-Antiquities.com

After the gods had created the earth and all of it’s  beautiful creatures, they decided that they would give one of the earthly creatures the responsibility to oversee the running of the world. The examined creature after creature to determine which one would be most suited for the job. Finally, they decided that they would put the goddess Li Shou, a cat, and all of her fellow cats in charge of the earth. Li Shou gladly accepted the offer and was given the ability to speak and communicate for her willingness.

Once the gods had left, Li Shou went out to begin patrolling the Earth. Everything was in perfect order. After a while of walking she came across a beautiful cherry tree and decided that she would take a nap for just a moment. She awoke suddenly to the gods standing above her.

“How can you be sleeping, Li Shou?” One of the gods asked. “The Earth is falling into chaos! We put you in charge of running this world.”

“Well… I…I just shut my eyes for a moment,” she said thinking of her blissful sleep.

“Get back to work!” Another of the gods said. “We’ll put things back in order this time, but we need you to take your responsibility seriously.”

“We will be back to see that you’ve done what we’ve asked of you,” said a third god.

Monkey and Cats by Yi Yuanji (11th Century)
Image is in the Public Domain

“I will,” Li Shou said,” You can count on me.”

With that the gods reordered the world and the chaos was no more. Li Shou set out again to watch over the  workings of the earth. Diligently she tried with all of her might to fight the urge to take a nap.  Once again, she was lulled to sleep under the blossoming of a cherry tree.  The gods appeared again and found taking another nap.  Li Shou was scolded worse than before and promised yet again that she would be mindful of her responsibilities. They would not catch her sleeping on the job again.

On her third round of watching the Earth, Li Shou found herself full of energy. That second nap really did the trick! She ran and frolicked and this time when she found a cherry tree, she had no desire to sleep. A single leaf fell from the tree right before her eyes and was blown by a gentle wind. What fun! She chased the leaf, batting in with hear paws. Then another leaf fell and another and another! Li Shou was having the time of her life.  This time the gods appeared and found her playing among the leaves.

“Li Shou!” The first god said.

“Yes!” Li Shou said, standing tall and removing a remaining leaf from her fur. “I did it! I didn’t fall asleep!”

“The world has still fallen into chaos, under your watch,” said the first god.

“But, I…”said Li Shou.

“You ignored your responsibilities once again!” said the second god.

“We have reprimanded you 3 times,” said the third god. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

Li Shou thought carefully before she began to speak. The gods waited eagerly for her reply with the sternest of stares.  ” There isn’t much I can say,” Li Shou said. ” I have been terrible at watching over the earth. Perhaps this job is not best left to me.”

“And who do you suppose would be better fit for the responsibility?” Asked the second god. At that very moment a human man and woman appeared, walking together and picking cherries from one of the nearby cherry trees.

Lady at a Window with Two Cats by Zhang Zhen (early 18th century)
Image courtesy of the University of California Berkley Art Museum

“How about them?” said Li Shou pointing toward the humans. “They are a very good creature and I have liked being around them very much.”

“So be it!” Said the first god. “You have chosen well, Li Shou.”

The gods beckoned the humans to come near. They placed the responsibility to oversee the running of the Earth on mankind and gave them the ability to speak. As the humans began to speak, Li Shou and the other cats lost their ability to speak.

” We will be back to see how you have done with the  earth,” said the third god to the humans. The humans just stared blankly and began to talk with one another. The god repeated himself. The humans still did not understand. Realizing that the humans would never understand the language of the gods, they turned back to Li Shou.

“Humans can not be in charge of everything,” the first god said to Li Shou. She nodded showing that she understood what he had said.

“Since you can understand us,” the second god said to Li Shou,” we will still leave you in charge of keeping time for the earth.”

” Your eyes shall control the movement of the sun,” said the third god.

From that day forward, the Chinese would believe that you could tell the time of day by looking into a cat’s eyes. The pupils of the cat’s eyes control the height of the sun above the horizon.

One Good Myth Deserves Another

• The cat goddess Li Shou was worshiped by farmers as a goddess of fertility. Sacrifices were made to her in exchange for her pest control, for favorable rainfall, and for success with their crops.  She was also said to ward off evil spirits at night.
• Ceramic candle lanterns shaped like sitting cats with hollow eyes were used to scare away mice and ward off bad luck.
• White cats were linked to the moon and known to steal moonbeams.
• Cats were seen as mysterious creatures that could detect ghosts and evil spirits – or be one.
• Instead of burring dead cats, they were hung from trees to deter any evil spirits from bothering people passing underneath the tree.
• It was said that some people would change into cats after death. If you were afraid of cats, it meant that you were a rodent in a past life.
• Cats born with certain black markings on their backs were called “Kimono Cats.” This meant that the cat was the reincarnation of one of the owner’s ancestors. This belief was also held in Japan.
• Cats were sometimes believed to bring poverty on the people they lived with.
• One legend says that an emperor owned a black cat that bathed in a puddle after it had rained for 3 days. Then, all of the sudden, the cat turned into a dragon and flew away. No one ever saw the cat again.

Japanese “Kimono Cat”
Image courtesy of messybeast.com

Famous Cats: Maneki Neko (Beckoning Cat) & Wordless Wednesday

Maneki Neko
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

(Psst! Wordless Wednesday is at the bottom of the post 🙂 )

You may not know the name of these cats, but you’ve seen them around. Decorated cats, usually white, sitting with one paw raised in the air greet us at the entrance of most Chinese food restaurants and other Asian specialty stores. They are very popular in Asian countries – even sitting pretty at temple shrines.  In English we would refer to one of these cats a “welcoming cat” or a “beckoning cat.” In Japan, the country of the cat’s origin, this cat is called “Maneki Neko.”

The Cat with Many Tales

Maneki Neko is believed to have originated back in the time when the Samurai ruled a feudal Japan (possibly the early 1800’s). There is no true documentation of any real event which resulted in the creation of Maneki Neko. There are, however, many folklore style accounts of the cat that inspired Maneki Neko.

Cat Tale #1: Almost Electrified

Maneki Neko at the Concert Hall Hachinohe Tamao- Douzou
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

In the midst of a long journey a samurai leader decided to sit and rest  under a tree belonging to a run-down temple. Looking toward the temple he saw a cat (named Tama) beckon him with her paw. Curious about the little cat, he got up and went to get a closer look at the cat.  No sooner had the samurai leader walked over to Tama then a  bolt of lightning crashed down striking the tree he had just been sitting under. The samurai credited Tama with saving his life and donated money to the temple. From that time on the temple was prosperous.

In a similar tale, a leader is called into the Gotokuji Temple  by a cat just before it begins to rain.  Thankful that he didn’t get wet, he gives donations to the temple and restores it. He goes on to create a second temple on the grounds called the Shobyo Temple  and makes the cat the god of that temple calling it Shobyo Kannon. People would come and leave Maneki Neko as offerings at the Shobyo temple  when their wishes came true.

Cat Tale #2: T.M.I.

Japan went through a time of economic isolation; there was no trade with other countries and very few outside visitors. During this time brothels and places of male entertainment were marked with representations of male genitalia. When Japan decided to move away from isolationism, their new western visitors were a bit embarrassed by the sight of male genitalia blatantly displayed in public. Wanting to make friends with the newcomers (they could bring lot of money to Japan), they replaced the statues of male genitalia with something a little more palatable – a cat raising one arm (apparently still seen as a bit of a phallic symbol).

Cat Tale #3: In Your Dreams

Maneki Neko at the Yangzhou-Jingzhong Temple
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

An old woman in the Tokyo area became so poor that she could not afford to keep her beloved pet cat. The old woman was terribly distressed by having to part with the cat. She let the cat go in great sorrow. One night as the old woman lay sleeping restlessly, the cat came to her in a dream. The cat told her that she could be happy again if only she would make a doll of the cat. When the old woman awoke, she began creating ceramic dolls in the likeness of her cat. These dolls were loved by all the people that came across them and the old woman decided to sell them. The sales of the dolls brought her much fortune and of course the happiness of seeing her cat everywhere she goes.

Cat Tale #4:  Oh My Geisha!

Late one night at a brothel, a geisha awoke to use the bathroom. A cat stopped the geisha before she could get to the bathroom by pulling on her robe. When one of the men at the brothel saw the cat pulling on the geisha’s robe, he believed the cat was attacking her. The man drew his sword and lopped off the cat’s head with flew through the air and landed biting a snake that had been perched on the toilet waiting to attack the geisha. The geisha was very upset that the cat had been killed after seeing that it was protecting her. The man made a wooden statue of the cat in the geisha’s honor.

Symbolism: What Does It All Mean?

Maneki Neko at the Gotokuji Temple in Tokyo
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Maneki Neko is a symbol of luck, fortune, and prosperity. It is dressed as a pet of the wealthy elite would have been dressed during the Edo period. It has a gold coin around it’s neck and often holds coins and jewels all of which represent wealth.

If the right paw is raised, it invites money; If the left paw is raised, it invites people. When both paws are raised, it invites both money and people.  In Japan, the “palm” of the cat is showing to represent beckoning in Japanese culture. Exports of Maneki Neko show the top of the hand rather than the palm to better represent what western countries see as beckoning. There are also those who say that the higher the arm is, the more luck that the Maneki Neko brings. Others say that the higher the arm is, the further distance your luck will come from.

Adding color to Maneki Neko is a slightly newer practice.  The calico colored Maneki Neko is the most lucky.  It is possible that this is because of how rare it is to see a calico colored Japanese Bobtail cat (the type of cat Maneki Neko is formed after). As one might expect, all white represents goodness and purity. An all black maneki Neko wards off evil. Gold represents money and fortune. Shades of red represent love and relationships.

Wordless Wednesday

In honor of the Maneki Neko post,  I asked Cinco to try beckoning to all the lady cats out there. This is what I got…

“I would love to share my chair with you lady-cats!” – Cinco

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Cats In History: Freya’s Kitties

The Ancient Egyptians weren’t the only ones to have a cat goddess (The Goddess Bast). Everywhere cats go humans fall in love with them and so does their mythology. Norse mythology is no exception; the goddess Freya is known for her love of cats.

The Goddess Freya

Norse Goddess Freya and her cat drawn chariot.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

The goddess Freya comes to us from Norse mythology which was popular in northern Europe- especially in Scandinavia before it became Christianized. She is a goddess of the highest order, having powers comparable to the Norse ruler of the  gods – Odin. Some theorize that Freya is a personification of the Earth itself. She is the goddess of cats, fertility, war, love, sex, beauty, magic and in some ways death. Her name (or at least one of its many variations) is where we get the word Friday.  As with any type of ancient mythology, many stories exist and some are contradictory. There is a lot of controversy about whether or not Freya and Odin’s wife Frigg are the same goddess or not.

The Many Sides of Freya:

• The lover. It is said that she was married to a god named Od (perhaps a personification of the sun), but he disappeared and she went looking for him throughout the whole universe. As she went along she cried tears of gold for him. When she found him he had been turned into a sea monster, but she stayed by his side.
  

  Norse Goddess Freya as a warrior with her cats.
  Photo Courtesy of Schmoop.com .

• The untamable woman. Many tales tell of her promiscuity claiming that she has slept with many different gods, humans, and even dwarfs.  In a scene where Loki (the god of mischief) confronts her public ally about her promiscuity, she denies it, but another god questions whether it is really wrong for a married woman to sleep with other men or not. She also possessed a powerful necklace called the Brisingamen that would make her irresistible  to men when she wore it (she got it by sleeping with dwarfs).
• Queen of the Valkyries. The Valkyries are a group of female demi-gods  who ride horses down to earth to retrieve the souls of those who died heroically in battle.  Freya was allowed to take half of the dead warriors to her hall and the rest would go to Odin. Freya got first choice, of course.
• A fortune teller and magician. While stories disagree, some say that Freya could tell the future through her weaving. Those who say that Freya and Frigg are separate goddess believe that attribute to belong to Frigg. There is little doubt, however, that she was a practitioner of seidr – a type of magic that alters destiny. She was able to cast spells, read runes, and even taught Odin some magic.
• A shape-shifter. Freya has a cloak of falcon feathers that allow her to turn into a falcon. Every now and again she loaned this cloak to other gods.
• Cat lover. Freya had many cats as pets and is often represented by a gray cat. She used them to pull her chariot, send messages, and assist in casting spells.

How Freya Got Her Cats

From another story – Thor impersonating Freya.
Photo courtesy of wikipedia.

Early one morning Freya was woken up from a blissful sleep by thunderous noises that were happening outside. When she got out the front door, there was Thor (the god of Thunder) riding around in a chariot pulled by 2 goats. Freya quickly got his attention and gave him a lecture about making so much noise while she was trying to sleep. Thor told her that he planned to go fishing and would be gone soon.

As promised, Thor left for the river to go fishing for a water dragon. While he was there heard a very annoying sound that was followed my a lovely, soothing song. The song lulled Thor to sleep. All of the sudden the annoying sound started again and jolted Thor from his sleep. He was angry that he was so rudely awakened and he went to investigate.

After a bit of walking, Thor found two large kittens sleeping in a tree with another cat singing to them. Thor confronted the singing cat asking if he was intentionally trying to lull him to sleep to do him harm. The cat replied that the two kittens were his children, Bygul and Trigul, and he was simply singing them to sleep. He explained that he was a single father and that it is difficult to raise children alone.

Thor thought of Freya and what a nice gift the cats would make for her. The father cat insisted that these were special cats and needed a very good home, which insulted Thor and made him angry. As Thor lunged toward the father cat, the cat bared his teeth and showed his claws. Before Thor could reach the cat, the cat turned into a bird and flew away.

Thor took the 2 giant kittens in his chariot and presented them to Freya. She loved the cats so much that she uses them on the chariot that she uses to ride through the heavens everyday. To this day, her cat-lead chariot is one of the things she is most known for.

While converting the Scandinavians to Christianity, all aspects of pagan gods were vilified – especially sexual immorality and sorcery. Some sources say that after a few years Freya turned her 2 giant cats into magicians who took the shape of cats. This could have been where the idea, when translated by medieval Christians, that witches could turn into cats.

Cats in History: The Ship’s Cat & Mayflower II

Convoy aboard the HMS Hermoine

Ahoy kitties! Believe it or not, cats have been an important part of nautical travel since the days of the Ancient Egyptians. The tradition of having a cat aboard began with the ancient Egyptians who  used cats to help them hunt birds on their river rafts. Cats were not really thought of as “pets” , but rather as helper animals that served a specific purpose.

Later, as ships became larger and trips became longer, ship’s cats became even more important. Even the ancient sailors knew that cats are very efficient killers of rodents and other vermin. Mice and rats were more than just a nuisance on board a ship – they could sabotage an entire journey. Here are 3 good reasons they needed to have a good mousing cat aboard their ships:

1. 

   Pooli aboard a U.S. attack transport

   Rodents would chew through ropes, sails, and other important ship components. Anyone who has had these pesky rodents get into their attic or garage knows that they will eat through anything. If a rat chewed through a rope significantly enough, then a sail may not be able to be properly raised or moved. Considering that sails were a ship’s only means of being propelled forward, being unable to raise a sail could be a big problem.

2. Rodents could  chew their way into food rations which could not be replenished at sea. Keeping the rodent population to a minimum could mean the difference between proper nutrition and starvation.
3. Rodents (and their fleas) were known carriers of deadly diseases. As an example, the Boubonic plague was spread by rat fleas. On a ship where everyone lives in tight quarters for weeks to months on end, disease could spread quickly among the sailors.

Tiddles aboard a Royal Navy aircraft carrier

Superstitions developed among sailors regarding the ship’s cat.  Many believed that cats could predict the weather. The belief was that if a cat meowed, bad weather was on its way. Messing with the ship’s cat could also bring bad weather. If a cat was thrown overboard or lock in a cupboard, a storm was about to hit. Storms were dreaded by sailors as they could lead to devastating damages to the ship and crew. On the upside, it was believed that having a cat aboard was good luck.

The use of cats on ships is regarded as one of the ways domestic cats were spread around the world.  Phoenician cargo ships brought the first domesticated cats to Europe around 900 B.C. As cats spread throughout the world, sailors would adopt foreign cats both as souvenirs and to remind them of the pets they left behind at home.

Somewhere around the end of World War II the tradition of ship cats dwindled off. The British Royal Navy banned cats from ships based on hygiene issues in 1975. Before the tradition came to its end there were a number of famous ship’s cats who bravely did their duty. There were several just during World War II alone: Blackie aboard the HMS Prince of Whales who was famous for greeting Winston Churchill, Convoy aboard the HMS Hermoine, Tiddles who was aboard several different Royal Navy aircraft carriers, Pooli aboard a U.S. attack transport, and surely many more.

Blackie meeting Winston Churchill

The Mayflower

The original Mayflower’s journey began in England in 1620. There were 102 passengers aboard who were seeking employment and religious freedom. It isn’t known for sure whether or not there were any cats on the Mayflower, but it is assumed that there were because of the traditions held by sailors at the time. After 66 grueling days at sea averaging only 2 miles per hour, the Mayflower reached modern day Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  The pilgrims lived through the winter on the Mayflower while they tried to build homes on the land. Only 53 passengers and half of the crew survived until spring time. The surviving crew took the Mayflower back to England and the surviving pilgrims began the colonies that would become the basis for the United States. No one knows what happened to the Mayflower after 1624. People in the U.S. celebrate Thanksgiving to commemorate the help the pilgrims had in surviving that first winter.

The Mayflower II

Mayflower II

In the 1950’s England decided to commemorate the solidarity between the Americans and the British by recreating the Mayflower and its journey. From the original Mayflower blueprints, the Mayflower II was handcrafted in the same way the original would have been. The only changes in the design were a modern staircase between the main and lower decks, electric lighting, and a few other minor changes to accommodate tourists who would later visit the ship. The ship had no motor, it was propelled by the wind in its sails.

Felix (Mayflower II) stuffed animal

The Mayflower II set sail in 1957 with a crew of 34 – including the ship’s cat! A little black and white kitten named Felix was brought aboard the only American member of the crew. At first they weren’t sure that the kitten would survive. Even cats take a while to get their sea legs! His fur was matted and he was quite the mess. One day one of the sailors decided to bathe Felix and that was the turning point in his journey. After a little meow, Felix decided he was going to make it and grew strong and healthy from then on. He did have one little accident early on where a sailor accidentally stepped on him and broke his leg, but he healed up very nicely. The sailors took well to Felix and even made him his own life-jacket (which made Felix “semi-mutinous”). Arriving in Cape Cod 2 months after the beginning of the voyage, Felix was quite the celebrity. The Mayflower II is still in Plymouth, Massachusetts with plenty of Felix memorabilia.

Urban Legends : Cats Leave Babies Breathless

Cats often get the short end of the stick in urban legends and myths. Over the course of human history we have associated cats with Satan himself, witches, plagues, and more. Wherever something goes unexplained, another cat myth shows up.

The Legend

Version #1: Cats smell the milk on a baby’s breath and want to get a taste of it. When the baby is placed in the crib, the cat jumps in and begins suckling on the baby’s lips. During this suckling, the cat steals the baby’s breath causing it to suffocate and die.

Version #2: Cats are very jealous of the attention their owners give to the newborn baby. This jealousy entices cats to commit murder. They commit the murder by climbing into the crib with a sleeping baby and stealing it’s breath so that it suffocates and dies.

Possible Origins

Print sightings of this legend go back as far as 1607. The origin that is most sited for this legend comes from a story from 1791. The story holds that a jury found a cat guilty of killing a Plymouth infant based on the findings of a coroner.

Another popular story was published in 1929 in the Nebraska State Journal. Supposedly a doctor had caught a cat in the act of stealing a baby’s breath. The doctor was quoted as seeing:

“the family pet in the very act of sucking a child’s breath, laying on the baby’s breast, a paw on either side of the babe’s mouth, the cat’s lips pressing those of the child and the infant’s face as pale as that of a corpse, it’s lips with the blueness of death.”

The Truth

There are no confirmed cases of a cat ever stealing anyone’s breath. Rarely there have been cases where a cat was suspected to have smothered an infant (it is probably worthwhile to note that babies are much more frequently smothered by caregivers who roll over on them while sleeping next to them). In 2000 one mother did suspect her cat had smothered her 6-month-old child, but it was revealed in autopsy that the baby had died from S.I.D.S. 

When a child dies it can be a pain too difficult for family members to bear. It is believed that this legend about cat’s sucking the breath out of babies came about because people did not yet know about S.I.D.S. Families wanted answers and cats were convenient targets. Since cats love to cuddle up to things that are warm, it would not have been uncommon to see the cat cuddled up next to an infant. There were already many legends about cats acting as agents of the devil and causing plagues and the such. The idea that cats were killing babies gave grieving families a place to put the blame.

Most cats are frightened of a newborn baby when it first arrives home and they steer clear of it. Some cats will eventually warm up to the child – and even like the child. Cats and children can form a special little bond. Some mothers even report that the cat is somewhat of a nuance because it will wake the child and the child will want to play with the kitty rather than sleep.

No matter how much the cat and child love one another, cats and other animals should always be supervised around babies. Infants may not be able to move their heads or other body parts to adjust themselves when a cat has made them uncomfortable. Children nearing the toddler phase may pull the cat’s ears, tail, or whiskers provoking the cat. While their intentions are not malicious, cats don’t always realize how delicate babies are compared to the adults they are used to playing with and sleeping on. As a general rule of thumb it is always a good idea to keep the cat out of the nursery at night. Pediatricians don’t recommend that anything – including pillows, toys, or cats- be placed in the crib with a sleeping baby.

Cats In History: The Medieval Catholic Church

Have you ever noticed the dark view of cats that is used during the Halloween season? Images of black cats with arched backs and outstretched claws accompany images of witches, demons and skeletons on Halloween decorations. Somehow the cute and cuddly creatures we all know and love are transformed into minions of evil. There are a few different explanations for the bad rap cats have gotten in western culture. Below you will find one such explanation.

“Kill them all, for God knows His own.” – Papal legate Arnaud

The seesaw of power between the Christians and the Muslims over the Holy City of Jerusalem was coming to a close. The Crusades had raged on for over 200 years. The Catholic church had gained in power both as a religion and as a political entity.

In the south of France a new religious group called the Cathars had taken shape. Some say that the Cathars were true Christians who simply denounced the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church, others say that the Cathars were an off-shoot of Christianity that was closer to the Gnostics in ideology. Either way, the Cathars pulled away from the teachings of the Catholic church. The Cathars also did not recognize the authority of the rulers of northern France.

In 1209 Pope Innocent III, with the support of the nobles in northern France, called for a Crusade against the Cathars for their heresy. He offered part of the spoils of the Crusade as well as indulgences (pardons from sin) to anyone who would take up the Crusade. When the leader in the crusade, Simon de Montfort, asked the papal representative how he should tell the difference between the true Catholics and the heretics, the papal representative replied “Kill them all, for God knows His own.” In the first day of battle 20,000 men, women and children were killed. This bloody crusade, known as the Abigensian Crusade, would last more than 2 decades.

“Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.” – Lord Acton

The successor of Pope Innocent III, Pope Gregory IX, continued Pope Innocent III’s war on heresy. The Abigensian Crusade had failed to completely destroy the Cathars and other non-Catholic groups had been cropping up. To solve the problem with heresy Pope Gregory IX instituted the Papal Inquisition in 1227. Inquisitors were given the authority to remove heretics by whatever means they felt were necessary. This authority was difficult for the church to keep under control.

Conrad of Marburg was appointed by Pope Gregory IX as the first inquisitor in Germany. He was known for his ruthlessness. Once a person was accused of heresy they would either have to confess to their guilt and be punished or deny it and be burned at the stake. He would also require the accused persons to give up the names of other heretics. Brutal physical torture was often used to draw out confessions and names of other heretics. He was so feared and hated that even the bishops of Germany begged the Pope for his removal.

“…after the kiss, the memory of the Catholic faith totally disappears from his heart.” – Vox in Rama

The inquisitors took very detailed notes which they shared with the Pope. Supposedly (there is some controversy over the historical validity of this) Conrad of Marburg brought a Satanic cult to the attention of Pope Gregory IX through his notes. A man accused of being a part of the Satanic group eventually confessed in great detail to Conrad of Marburg. The pope then sent out a papal bull (official legal document of the pope) called the Vox in Rama publicizing the rituals of joining this Satanic cult.

The bull says that the entrance ritual begins with the inductee kissing a very large frog. Then a thin pale man appears and the inductee kisses him as well, at which point the Catholic faith leaves the inductee. Next there is a meal served after which a black cat appears and the inductee kisses the cat on the butt and pledges allegiance to it. Then the candles are blown out and there is an orgy complete with homosexual acts. Finally the candles are lit again and a half man- half cat appears who is presumable Satan himself. The Satanists then go on to pretend being Catholic during the day while actually hating God.

“Ashes, ashes, we all fall down.” – Ring Around the Rosie

With the Vox in Rama, Pope Gregory IX claimed that cats were the incarnations of Satan. Being known to have cats was sure to get you accused of witchcraft. Fearing the power of Satan entering their homes and the potential witchcraft accusations, people began killing cats. Cats were accused of being the cause of all kinds of evil. This kind of thinking stayed around throughout the course of the inquisition and some of it lingers still.

Perhaps it was some kind of karma, but the lack of cats was one of the reasons the Bubonic plague spread so easily across Europe. The bacteria that causes the plague lived in rats (who are immune to the bacteria). Fleas that attempted to feed on the rats that contained the plague bacteria would also bite humans, thus spreading the bacteria. Those who used cats to keep the rats away were able to fend off the plague.

Bad Kitties: Tituba’s Feline Familiars

In the winter of 1692 the village of Salem was rocked by an avalanche of accusations of witchcraft. The mayhem would leave 24 people dead and more than 100 others accused and imprisoned. The confessions of one woman became the basis to believe that the Devil himself (in various forms) was lurking about in Salem.

A Little Bit of Bad Behavior Goes A Long Way

The story begins with two young girls: Betty Parris and Abigail Williams. Betty was the daughter of a Rev. Samuel Parris and Abigail was his orphaned niece. One day Betty and Abigail along with a few other girls and Rev. Parris’ slave woman, Tituba, decided to play some innocent fortune telling games.

Not long after playing the games, Betty and Abigail began exhibiting strange behaviors and having angry fits. Rev. Parris took them to the local doctor for help, but the doctor couldn’t explain the behaviors. The other girls that had played the games also began to exhibit those same strange behaviors – also with no explanation.

The Village of Salem came to the conclusion that the girls had been bewitched. The girls were quick to start naming names of “the witches” that did this to them. The first 3 people accused of witchcraft were Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba. All three women were poor, lower class citizens of Salem.

Sure, Blame It On The Cat

In court Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne maintained their innocence, but Tituba gave an in depth confession. Beaten until she confessed, Tituba claimed that the Devil himself came to her and asked her to sign her soul over to him. As she looked over the Devil’s book, Tituba noticed that Sarah Good’s and Sarah Osborne’s signatures were already there. Among a few other animals, Tituba said that she was being stalked by a black cat and a red cat that spoke to her and threatened to hurt her if she didn’t serve them by hurting the children. Tituba was jailed but was never executed.

Really? Talking Demon Cats?

It has been a long held belief that witches have cats as their familiars. Familiars are a witch’s companion that aids them in their magic. Some traditions state that the cat is the actual source of the witch’s power and can do the witch’s bidding. Other traditions say that the witches can take the form of a cat. Cats have also been said to be the link between a witch and the Devil.

How It All Ended

Not long after she confessed, Tituba recanted her story. Eventually Betty, Abigail and the other girls came clean and said the whole thing was made up. Law makers in Salem had to scramble to save the innocent from the gallows. Reforms to the justice system in Salem would continue for years to come.

Cats in History: Ancient Egypt

Think your cats are pretty precious? Check out these cats in history!

The Ancient Egyptians believed that cats were sacred. They were known as protectors because of their ability to chase off mice and other disease carrying pests. In the houses of royalty, cats were often adorned with gold jewelry and treated with special respect. Cats were even allowed to eat from their owner’s plate. If a pet cat died it was mourned as a human family member would be mourned. After the family finished their period of morning for the deceased cat, it would be mummified just like its human counterparts. Punishments for harming a cat were harsh; killing a cat was punishable by death.

Cats in History were worshiped!

Bast holding daggers.
Photo courtesy of http://www.landofpyramids.org

The “Cat Goddess” Bast was first known as the daughter of the sun-god Ra. She was considered a sun goddess, part of the group of goddesses known as “The Eye of Ra.” Bast is depicted as a woman with the head of a cat, fully as a cat, or a cat with kittens. [Note that in earlier times she was depicted more like a lion and in later times she became more like a house cat.] She often carries with her a sistrum, which is an ancient rattle or musical instrument, and an aegis which is a protective necklace.

Also a part of “The Eye of Ra”, Bast is often confused with her counterpart Sekhmet. Also a lion goddess, Sekhmet was the ruthless protector of Upper Egypt while Bast was the more docile (but still feared) protector of Lower Egypt. Bast was said to be lion-like when angered, but house cat-like when calm.

Bast’s status as a goddess of protection was said to begun when she saved Ra from an evil snake god. She was known to be a fierce goddess – best friend to those who loved her and worst enemy of those who crossed her. As protector of pharaoh, Bast held a very high status among the gods.

Later In Ancient Egypt…

Bronze statue of Bastet.
Photo courtesy of the Walter’s Art Museum.

At the time of the 2^nd dynasty Bast was demoted in the Egyptian pantheon. It is likely the change was due to the splicing together of Greek and Egyptian cultures. Her name was changed to Bastet as a part of her demotion. Bastet was no longer pictured as a lion goddess, but rather as a domestic house cat. Another notable change due to the Greek influence on Egypt was that Bastet was now the sister of Horus. Still a protector, Bastet was now the goddess of joy and fertility and protector of home, children, and women. Rather than being a fierce goddess of vengeance, she was now fun-loving. She loved music and dancing.

Boubastis (as the Greeks called it) was the city where Bastet’s lavish temple resided. Yearly festivals to Bastet for adults only took place on riverboats that traveled down to Boubastis. Much like modern Mardi Gras, the festivals were known for drunkenness and sex. As the boats passed towns on their way down the river, the women on them would shout lewd things at the towns people and lift their skirts over their head at them (ancient flashing I suppose).At the temple people would place statuettes of Bastet as an offering and make sacrifices. Of course, cats were not used as sacrifices.

Quick Note About Cats in History

I hope you enjoyed this segment of Cats In History! I plan on making regular “Cats in History” posts as I come across good material. Please check back!

Bastet with kittens.
Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum.