Black Cat Legends

 Legends of Black Cats

In a world where myths blend with reality and superstitions meet ancient beliefs, some animals are surrounded by an aura of mystery and fear. Among these creatures, black cats stand out as a prominent symbol linked to superstitions through the ages. They have become associated with many unfounded beliefs, causing their interactions with humans to be filled with caution and anxiety, sometimes putting them in danger.

Black cats have long been a subject of debate and fear. For some, they are not merely pets but are seen as symbols of misfortune and evil. In the UK and the US, black cats have been linked to witchcraft and bad luck, considered symbols of demons and dark rituals. In China, they represented signs of hard times and poverty, while in Europe, a black cat jumping onto a sick person’s bed was considered a sure sign of impending death.

Over the centuries, black cats have stirred considerable controversy, becoming notorious in popular imagination. But what is the truth behind these legends? Are they just fleeting myths, or are there some truths that can explain these strange beliefs?

In this story, we will explore the myths surrounding black cats and separate fact from fiction, through our content on Novpad: The Global Stories Library. Let's uncover these mysterious tales and discover if there is any truth behind these creatures that have troubled humanity since ancient times.

 Black Cats Bring Bad Luck

No animal has been more closely associated with misfortune or magic than the black cat. Cats (especially black ones) have a long history related to the idea of luck (especially bad luck). It is very easy to believe that these cats are linked to the unknown, being primarily nocturnal creatures that slink through the night with glowing eyes, then sit crouched and serenade the beauty of the moon. These cats seem to have a connection to other worlds, yet black cats were not always associated with bad luck in Europe. They were once symbols of good fortune but later became cursed with ill luck. Perhaps they were sacred in Europe before the advent of Christianity, and there is evidence suggesting that many civilizations revered cats as deities.

According to Italian legend, the cat gave birth to her kittens at the same time as Jesus Christ. However, cats were not destined to be venerated in Christian Europe. The church’s vehement rejection of paganism succeeded in diminishing the animal’s sacred status, and after being highly regarded, it fell into disgrace. During the Cathar persecution, it was believed that these heretics worshipped the devil in the form of a cat, thus introducing the poor cat into the ongoing tragedy of witchcraft.

We believe that the black cat is an ordinary animal. But in Máel Dúin’s journey, where the hero comes upon a magical is

land inhabited by a single cat, the island is luxurious with a beautiful palace full of treasures. When one of the hero’s companions attempts to steal the treasure, the cat's form turns into an arrow and kills him.

The contemporary fear of black cats, as they are associated with witches and the Halloween ritual, may stem from Celtic legends. Some see this fear as rooted in Greek gods of magic, such as the goddess Hecate, who was unnaturally associated with cats.

You might think that Hecate is linked with dogs, but she is also connected with cats. The Roman poet Ovid tells that when Princess Alcmene was pregnant with Hercules by Zeus, her maid Galinthias played a trick on the goddess Hera to ensure that Alcmene would give birth successfully without Hera’s interference. Hera, known for her jealousy over Zeus’s numerous affairs, became enraged and turned Galinthias into a cat as punishment, condemning her to the underworld to serve as a priestess for Hecate. Thus, black cats were considered omens of death due to their association with magic and prophecy and their connection to the underworld because of their close link with Hecate.

Hecate is not the only goddess of magic associated with cats. In Norse mythology, cats were sacred and associated with the goddess Freyja, whose magic was a form of visual enchantment practiced during the late Iron Age. Cats were also connected with Diana, as in the witches’ gospel, where at dusk, the goddess Diana (Queen of Witches, as some see her) turns into a cat to sleep with Lucifer, becoming pregnant with Aradia in the guise of a fawn.

The Greeks merged the hunting and childbirth goddess Artemis with the Egyptian goddess Bastet to produce the hybrid goddess named Elorus. The ancient writer Antoninus Liberalis, in "Metamorphoses" during the 2nd century AD, wrote that the monstrous giant Typhon desired to overthrow Zeus and rule in his place. No god could withstand this deadly serpentine giant. In panic, the gods fled to Egypt. When they fled, they transformed into animal forms. For example, Artemis became a cat (the Egyptian goddess Bastet). The ancient writer was not the only one to state that Artemis and Bastet were the same goddess. Historian Herodotus and the traveler and geographer Pausanias also wrote that Bastet and Artemis were two sides of the same coin, the same goddess. It is said that the sky goddess Hathor and the Anatolian goddess Cybele and the storm demon Lilith were sometimes depicted as cats. Although Hathor is symbolized by a cow, it is not inconceivable that she might appear as a cat, possibly because the ancient Egyptians envisioned her roaming the western Nile desert in the form of a lioness guarding tombs there.

In Scotland, it was believed that black cats were witches with the ability to control or predict the weather. One Scottish superstition holds that if a cat emerges from the fire, it is a sign of an impending storm. If the cat washes its face, it is a portent of rain. Witch hunters Nicholas Remy and Jean Bodin debated whether cats were witches or demons.

In Hungarian traditional belief, black cats are seen as witches. These black cats with a changing ego or alternative personality contain a strange duality. Is the witch the cat, or is the cat the witch? In a room full of mirrors reflecting this cat’s image, one might think that these cats are not sentient beings. But in one Hungarian witch trial, a witness recounts how when he encountered two cats at night, he viewed them as ghostly figures and began speaking with them. He told them he was not afraid of them because “Jesus Christ is with us.” The cats reportedly responded intelligently, laughing widely as humans do, confirming that these creatures were not just playful kittens.

In Turkey, it is believed that misfortune can be reversed by shaving part of your head. This idea has its roots in the Middle Ages when many people believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into cats. If a black cat crossed one's path under the moonlight, it would spread plague until death (Irish superstition).

King Charles I of England had a black cat, which he greatly valued and respected, to the extent that his guards watched it 24 hours a day. Fortune, however, did not smile upon the palace, as the king was arrested the day after the cat’s death due to his battle with a terminal illness.

We have often heard of hunters killing animals greedily to obtain their rare pelts, leading to endangered status. But have you ever heard of people burning an animal simply for its strange behavior? This occurred when Catholicism became highly antagonistic towards cats because of their association with witchcraft, especially after Pope Innocent VIII declared in 1484 that "the cat was the favorite animal of the devil and loved by witches." The idea was that cats, by nature, were rebellious and did not obey commands, unlike dogs or other domesticated animals, making them inherently unruly, heretical, or demonic, contrary to the "roles" assigned by God to all humans and animals. The Pope decreed the burning of all witches, along with their cats. A woman closely associated with cats was considered sufficient evidence to accuse her of witchcraft and thus condemn her to death by burning.

Moreover, Pope Gregory IX demanded the extermination of all cats—especially black ones—claiming that they were aiding the devil as the serpent had before. This gradual extermination of cats exacerbated the Black Death in the Middle Ages, which had been declining when cat numbers were high but increased as cats were eradicated. It is believed that rats carried plague bacteria through fleas that could harbor the bacteria. As we know, the universe has a delicate ecological balance, so it is not surprising that a reduction in cat numbers would lead to a rise in rats.

The burning and extermination of these poor cats eventually ended, but it is worth noting that some predatory animals also fell victim to this horrific purge. This fear of magic and its association with cats led to the deaths of an estimated fifty million people in the 14th century, or sixty percent of Europe’s population! The irony is that this zeal to destroy black cats contributed to the spread of the plague due to the increased rodent population in the absence of many cats to kill and eat them. It is worth noting that many of these superstitions about black cats still exist today, and this is why black cats often have lower adoption rates in many rescue organizations to avoid repeating this grave misfortune.

So next time you encounter a black cat with a piercing gaze, it might not just be a casual glance. Perhaps that cat harbors a mystical entity within, waiting to pounce. If so, burn it and don’t hesitate.

\Symbolism of Black Cats

Cats—whether you like them or not—are undeniably rich in symbolic meaning. In some cultures, cats have a tarnished reputation, often due to superstitions formed around their mysterious, unusual, or even ferocious behavior. However, almost every culture has a myth or story featuring cats. Some peoples have despised cats, considering them cursed, while others have worshiped them as deities deserving of reverence. Regardless of personal opinions or

cultural beliefs, black cats are synonymous with mystical, mythical, and supernatural powers.

In the 14th century, black cats were widely considered omens of misfortune. When a black cat crossed one’s path, it was believed to bring bad luck. But how did this superstition start?

The ancient Egyptians worshiped cats, associating them with the goddess Bastet, who represented home, fertility, and protection. Bastet had a dual nature: she was both a lioness and a domestic cat. Cats were revered for their ability to protect food stores from rodents, and their agility made them valuable hunters.

In the Middle Ages, however, the Catholic Church denounced cats as symbols of the devil, leading to the widespread killing of cats. This coincided with the spread of the Black Death, which was exacerbated by the killing of cats that had previously controlled the rodent population, contributing to the plague's rapid spread.

Despite their dark history, many cultures still honor cats as symbols of good fortune. For instance, in Japan, the "Maneki-neko" or "beckoning cat" is a common symbol of luck and prosperity. In some regions of Europe, black cats are believed to bring good luck, especially when they appear on one's wedding day or enter a new home.

The dual nature of black cats—viewed as both omens of misfortune and symbols of protection—reflects the complex interplay of superstition and reverence that has characterized their history. Their presence in folklore, mythology, and cultural practices underscores their enduring fascination and the rich tapestry of beliefs woven around these enigmatic creatures.

So the next time you see a black cat, consider its rich history and the diverse meanings attributed to it across cultures. Whether viewed with fear or admiration, the black cat remains a powerful symbol, embodying the mysteries and complexities of the human imagination.

I feel as though I am in a biology class, not knowing what to say, as that feline shroud is more complex than I had realized.

Is the black cat a manifested spirit?

Black cats are symbols of a mysterious spirit coming into the earthly life, with their impenetrable color representing the enigma of the spiritual journey (soul’s return) to the physical world. The cat itself is a symbol of achieving perfection (perfection is for God alone) and unity, merging the ethereal life with the physical life.

Ancient people believed that a black-furred cat is the spirit of a person who died with unfinished business, so their spirit remains unsettled until it returns to the earthly realm to complete what is left of its record of deeds. These spirits cannot be reborn as humans but can only take the form of that black cat or other black animals when they wish to return to the material world.

Symbolizing evil and darkness to some cultures, and good luck and health to others, the black cat is still perceived as a creature that brings good.

In some African and Eastern cultures, especially in Arab countries, the cat is famously known as the "Seven Lives" cat. As an aside, when you find someone escaping every calamity, they are said to have "seven lives," and sometimes they are also referred to as a phoenix. In general, the cat is the preferred form for invisible creatures of energy and fire living in an unseen world.

Interestingly, the word "genie" in English is derived from the same root as the word "genius." And as it is said that cats have seven lives, these kittens must be magical and very intelligent!

In India, people feared black kittens on the roads. If you saw one crossing your path, it meant a very unfortunate omen. In some areas, luck is determined by the direction in which the cat crosses the road: if it crosses from left to right, you can expect good luck; if it crosses from right to left, expect a turn of bad luck.

Ancient Persia had a similar belief, though different, about black cats. They considered the black cat a physical manifestation of the higher ethereal self, what they called "Hamzad." Thus, disturbing a passing black cat could bring harm to oneself, as it might be your Hamzad or higher self, born to accompany you on your earthly journey.

In the Scottish Highlands, black cats were seen as harbingers of evil and misfortune. They would place fur balls on their porch to ward off misfortune and attract positive energy.

In England, the locals felt blessed if a black cat crossed their path or entered their home. They were thankful for its passing, believing it had driven away an impending problem. You might think this is a myth, but this superstition remains true in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, and parts of Europe. Conversely, the black cat is a sign of good luck; if a black cat enters your home, you are destined for a bright future. If the mysterious black cat meets you at your front door, if you pet it three times, or if you dream of it, it is a sure sign that good luck is on its way to you.

Black Cats in China

For the Chinese, the black cat is imbued with mixed symbols. It might symbolize forthcoming poverty for some but imminent prosperity for others. Pure black-furred cats are harbingers of illness and poverty in some regions. Ancient Chinese would flee from a black cat approaching, believing it would bring them misfortune.

In most of China, a cat’s fur is considered a lucky charm. Every merchant would bring a black cat to their shop and keep it there to ensure the business would prosper and make a profit.

The Chinese prefer to keep older cats as pets because they bring good fortune as they age. Despite their careful care, these cats enjoy less freedom, especially since they are confined within the shop or home. If a cat leaves its owner's home, it is believed to take away the good luck with it.

Here are some curious footnotes:

1. A woman could supposedly stop her menstrual cycle by removing the spleen of a black cat.
2. If you see a black cat enter someone’s room at night, you must greet it, or you won’t see another day.
3. Some Europeans, particularly Germans and Italians, have observed that cats, black or otherwise, often visit the bed of someone seriously ill and near death, perhaps to ease their pain and suffering.
4. These cats are considered living talismans of good luck. Some Europeans love to own black cats to cross their path (as explained), and these creatures are believed to drive away bad luck and replace it with good.
5. As symbols of magical properties and black magic, the flesh of a black cat is used to counteract magical works (not the flesh of a lean cat).

Black cats make sailing safer... perhaps!

Sailors are famous for their superstitions, and naturally, the legend of the black cat does not pass them by. Sailors kept black kittens on their ships to calm the seas and tame the winds. They were cared for intensely because if they played on the ship and accidentally fell overboard into the depths of the sea, their dark color might make them indistinguishable from the sea floor. This assumption is avoided by sailors, as it is considered a significant breach of maritime conduct and is said to cause severe maritime storms.

In the 19th century, sailors and black cats were on ships because they believed it would bring them good luck. Fishermen's wives kept black cats while their husbands were at sea, believing it would ensure their safe return. Pirates believed that if a black cat walked toward them, it was a sign of bad luck awaiting them. However, if the black cat walked away from the pirates, it was seen as a symbol of good fortune. If the black cat boarded a pirate ship and then left again, it was believed the ship was doomed and likely to sink on its next voyage. Fishermen's wives kept black cats while their husbands went to sea, believing that these cats would prevent danger to their spouses, and these black cats were so precious that they were often stolen. In the British port of Scarborough, a superstitious sailor's wife pampered and played with a black cat, believing it kept her husband safe at sea, as that cat knew the future!

Warnings of Professional Dangers

Miners, fishermen, and other workers in hazardous professions often stop working if a black cat crosses their path. Although seeing a black cat is frightening for them, they are extremely grateful for the warning of impending disaster.

Black Cats, Romance, and Weddings

In Japan, it is believed that a black cat improves your romantic life. According to superstition, if a woman brings a black cat into her home, she can expect many marriage proposals from young men, indicating that many men are eager to marry her. It is also believed that a bride will have a happy married life if a black cat sneezes near her on her wedding day.

In southern England, a black cat is a symbol of a good marriage and a prosperous future. The origin of this belief is unknown, but it seems that the black cat was seen as a combination of negativity and misfortune within the family. Families often kept black cats as pets to symbolize their desire for a good and comfortable husband for their daughters.

The plump black cat with shiny amber fur is given as a doll to the couple on their wedding day to ensure good luck and a perfect marriage, according to the traditions of the Midland city.

More Famous Than You Might Think: The Black Cat in Popular Culture

Dr. Charlotte Rose Miller, a research assistant at the University of Melbourne, notes, "When the Google Doodle changes to celebrate Halloween, it highlights a few things: there are pumpkins everywhere, skeletons and ghosts, and even some pet costumes that might be somewhat bothersome, especially as they involve one of the aforementioned things. And then there are cats, and black cats forever and always, an essential element of anything magical or supernatural. Cats are magical creatures. Anyone who grew up watching the American TV show in the 1990s featuring a witch named Sabrina would know this. The reason we saw Sabrina the Teenage Witch wasn't due to the somewhat troubling high school politics but because of her marvelous talking cat named Salem. Everyone knows a witch will have a black cat, but how many people can tell you why? Why does a witch keep a black cat?"

"To answer this question, we need to go back four centuries to England, specifically during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603). This was the period when witch trials began in England. Between 1558 and 1736, nearly a thousand men and women (mostly women) were tried for witchcraft. These witch trials were documented in numerous pamphlets, becoming stories disseminated throughout the kingdom. A significant portion of these accounts depicted witches as individuals who possessed small animals and pets, often in the form of cats.

These creatures were known as familiar spirits. Although they did not necessarily have cats, which were common, they did have dogs, toads, wild birds, poultry, moles, and mice.

Some took on much stranger forms. For example, the chattering devil with a cat's head that appeared at the foot of an accused witch's bed, or the horned dog, or the creature that first appeared as a bear, then transformed into a horse, then a cow, and finally into a dragon. Some creatures seemed normal but had peculiar traits, such as the mole that appeared normal until it spoke in a hollow voice or the curious creatures Grisel and Griddy, described as dog-like with large bristles of pig hair on their backs. Whatever their form, these creatures served one role: they were animal manifestations of the devil.

Dr. Charlotte continues, 'This information might surprise some people, particularly shopkeepers in the famous Melbourne Arcade, who have announced a children's holiday program designed to help them find their familiar spirits (strange creatures).

I have often wondered whether the creators of the Sabrina the Teenage Witch series and other witchcraft programs know anything about the devilish origins of these mentioned creatures. It is said that witches made a pact with the devil, who would then appear to them in animal form, assisting them in harming their neighbors, becoming rich, or seeking revenge on their enemies. However, perhaps these images from the 1990s American television show are entirely appropriate. It is believed that early modern English witches had familiars with whom they had intimate relationships. They would sometimes feed these spirits (or rather, these creatures) milk but more often blood from their own bodies. Additionally, they would create nests from wool and then sleep together in the same bed.'

Dr. Charlotte takes a sip of water and then questions the nature of these familiar spirits, 'How do we understand these familiar spirits? These creatures were not actually animal embodiments of the devil, but that does not mean they did not exist. I would argue that the very ordinary nature of these spirits strongly suggests that the sightings of spirits were based on actual encounters with animals with whom many men and women had intimate relationships. Many witches were convicted of speaking to these creatures, and of course, speaking to an animal could be considered demonic.

The accusers, witnesses, judges, and investigators believed that these animals were merely a link between the witch and the devil. They were a means for the witch to access harmful magic, which could potentially kill children, torment neighbors, maim livestock, render men impotent, etc. But how did witches perceive these creatures? Except for a brief period during the 1640s, accused witches were not tortured in England, which makes it difficult in many ways to understand why so many men and women confessed to crimes they could not have committed. Hundreds of people admitted to making pacts with their devilish companions and sending them to harm those who had wronged them. So where do we find such stories?

Dr. Charlotte concludes her analysis, 'Interestingly, anyone who has read Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy may know one possible answer to this question. Pullman's animal companions, known as daemons, are manifestations of a person's inner self. These creatures are intelligent, emotionally aware, and reflect aspects of their witch companions' personalities. I would argue that this is how we should view the witches' confessions through the evidence indicating their harm to people via their animals.

These creatures were not just black cats or other pets; they were physical manifestations of the witch's unbearable emotions: extreme anger, deceit, envy, hatred... and in some cases, love. Witches used these devilish creatures to embody their emotions. Without their cats, witches would have no power, yet they managed to obtain a credit card for the disease that killed the man who slapped them on the street! Or the woman who refused to give them alms.

The black cat was a powerful symbol even during the early witch trials. Owning one of these familiar spirits was enough to halt arrest and trial. For some men and women, the bond between cats and witchcraft is considered so strong that it persists even after four hundred years, even when we no longer remember why.'

People who owned black cats or other pets were viewed with suspicion. These pets were identified as 'familiar creatures.' It was believed that witches made bargains with their spirits to gain magical powers to harm God's servants.

The most likely truth is that, long ago, there were wise people with farms knowledgeable in herbal plants and animal husbandry who avoided animals like cats due to their solitary nature. Fearful people wanted to blame painful events affecting them, such as illness, death, or mental health disturbances, on those they found difficult to trust or perceive. In other words, when it comes to traveling back to the 1600s, you should avoid bringing a black cat with you to avoid falling under suspicion.

In the dead of night, the black cat watches the weather... How do cats react to barometric pressure?

When a cat senses severe weather approaching, it may react in various ways, such as fleeing to a small dark nook that matches its body color. Such behaviors might seem strange but have been observed by sailors for centuries. Before the 18th century, sailors kept cats aboard ships for weather forecasting. Sailors believed that cats caused storms through the magic stored in their tails. However, we now know that cats can detect changes in barometric pressure (also known as atmospheric pressure) before storms arrive. Here are some weather-related behaviors:

- Cats predict wind by rubbing their bodies against carpets and curtains, and it is highly likely to rain if a cat vigorously washes its ears.

- If a cat is trapped in something, no one will escape the bad weather.

- Witches who ride the winds and storms took the form of cats.

- The dog, Odin's storm servant, symbolized the wind, while cats symbolized falling rain. Dogs symbolized strong winds, which might be the source of the phrase 'it's raining cats and dogs.'

- If American cats sit early and face the fire, it is a prophecy of a surprise cold snap.

- A cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under itself indicates impending bad weather.

Signs of rain:

- When you see a cat licking its tail, it predicts rain.

- Also, if a cat bathes itself.

- A cat resting with its flat head on the ground (i.e., sleeping on its back).

- When a cat sneezes, it might be a sign of rain.

- If a cat continually stares out the window, rain is coming.

- When a cat's pupils expand, rain is expected (Welsh superstition).

Signs of bad weather:

- An agitated cat predicts bad weather. Also, a cat putting its tail towards the fire, and a cat sitting with its back to the fire is a bad omen. A cat scratching the table leg indicates a change in weather for the worse.

What is this cat sensing?

For centuries, a cat's behavior before major storms was considered supernatural. We now know that cats react to changes in air pressure that occur when storms approach. Storms form when warm air meets cold air, causing the warm, moist air to rise and the cold, less dense air to sink, or come closer to the ground. As the warm air rises, it cools, creating condensation that can lead to clouds and storms. Since cats are natural predators with senses finely tuned to their environment, they easily detect such pressure changes.

Where to hide?

Once a cat detects an approaching storm, its first instinct might be to flee or hide. This is a survival tactic, where the cat seeks the safest place rather than leaving the danger zone. A mother cat may carry her kittens to safety before finding a shelter.

Split jaw behavior:

Some old folklore includes examples of cats' behavior before a storm. Many refer to a specific action: a cat running its paw across the side of its face and ears. According to "The Astrologers," a book by Sir John Milton, the poem written by Charles Darwin's father and Dr. Erasmus Darwin, describes a cat striking the earth with its velvet paws, then sitting to wipe its split jaw. There is considerable verbal evidence for this behavior. According to Allen Muller of the National Weather Service, a cat rubbing its face repeatedly with its paw could be an indicator of decreasing air pressure and electromagnetic changes caused by storms. By passing its paws over its face and ears, the cat is attempting to alleviate some of this unpleasant sensation.

While this applies to all cats, the behavior of black cats, in particular, in weather prediction, has some basis in reality. For instance, cats' whiskers are sensitive enough to detect very slight changes in atmospheric pressure. Low pressure can bring rain and storms, and changes in pressure can make cats behave unusually in response to the strange sensation on their whiskers.

This phenomenon has been consistently recorded and is almost the same way cats sense impending earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. There are theories explaining animals' ability to sense tiny tremors before humans do, and they instinctively understand what this means. So, I advise you to keep a black cat in your home to alert you to danger.

Superstitions about cats:

In North America, it is considered bad luck for a black cat to cross your path, while it is good luck if a white cat does. The reverse is true in Britain and Ireland. If a black cat approaches you, it is believed to

bring good luck. In France, it is thought that a black cat can bring prosperity and good fortune if it crosses your path, whereas in Japan, a black cat's arrival might be a sign of impending doom or death. This is true in Scotland and New England, as well as in some European countries, where black cats are also associated with witchcraft and the devil. Some believe black cats are witches' companions or even witches themselves, able to transform into cats to hide from pursuers. In some parts of England, you should avoid black cats if you are having financial difficulties because they are believed to bring bad luck.

In the Netherlands, cats are not allowed in rooms where private family discussions occur because it is believed that cats will definitely relay news of these discussions to evil spirits, which may lead to misunderstandings or family disputes. 

Some also believe that cats can protect homes from evil spirits, especially if they sit in high places or bask in the sun. This belief dates back to the past when cats were thought to possess the supernatural ability to ward off demons and evil spirits.

In Japan, it is commonly believed that white cats bring good luck and wealth, while black cats may be seen as a sign of bad luck, though this belief varies by region and local customs.

In conclusion, many people still view cats not just as pets but as symbols of various beliefs and superstitions that have evolved over time and across cultures. Whether as embodiments of spirits, weather predictors, or bringers of luck, cats continue to be a significant part of cultural and historical lore.

Finally, it can be said that cats were and still are a subject of interest and curiosity, hiding behind them many secrets and mysteries