The Cat-Sith is a mysterious fairy cat from Scottish and Irish folklore, known as a royal shapeshifter, soul stealer, and subject of some of the most fascinating legends in Celtic tradition, writes WILLIAM BOVE
This is one of the three I’ve been waiting to write about. I personally love cats and folklore about them, especially horror folklore.
The Cat-Sith, which is pronounced kat-shee, comes from Scottish and Irish myth and is descended from strong Celtic roots. Also known as the “fairy cat”, the Cat-Sith goes back as far as the late medieval period, but its true origins are much older. Unfortunately, there is no way to track the creature’s beginnings because they are said to be lost to prehistory.
In the late 1400s, the first handwritten accounts of these cats began to appear in Scottish and Irish folklore. The Cat-Sith are creatures descended from royalty and, as such, carry a fitting moniker. The title bestowed upon them is “The King of the Cats”.
This title is not handed down, nor is it bestowed lightly. While it is a widely respected name, it is also a point of some amusement.
Cat-Sith, The King of Cats
“The King of Cats” is more than a title; it’s a fun and amusing story that comes from an anonymous author. Over the centuries, the story has evolved at the hands of several storytellers and folklorists.
The story opens with an old gravedigger plying his trade during wintertime. He’s hard at work preparing the earth for another corpse. After his efforts, he falls fast asleep. The old man is awakened by a strange sound and an even stranger sight.
A procession of nine black cats came the old man’s way. Nine black cats in total, and one to lead the procession. The cats carried a small coffin draped in velvet and adorned with a small crown.
All the cats at once let out a high-pitched screech; the procession stopped, and the lead cat spoke. The cats’ eyes all glowed a bright and shining green colour.
“Go and tell Tom Tildrum that the King of Cats is dead.”
The old man stood in disbelief. Not only was this cat talking, but it also had a message for him to carry to his cat at home.
The man went home to his wife and cat. Without delay, he charged in, throwing the door open. He was pale, paler than usual, and that’s saying something for a gravedigger. The look on his face was one of sheer terror.
He quickly imparted the message to his wife and cat.
“The King of Cats is dead.”
He went on to explain how the cats led a funeral procession and there was a lead cat and everything.
His own cat, Tom, shook and trembled. The cat grew to a much larger size and exclaimed, “Now I am the King of Cats.”
Just then, with blinding speed, the cat tore up the chimney and disappeared. The old man and his wife never saw their cat again after that night. The story is as strange and terrifying as it is amusing.
These articles and the two before them have been about the dark fae of Scotland. The Cat-Sith is no different, but with a very interesting twist.
Legends and folklore tell of witches who delight in taking the form of cats. However, they can only do this so many times. The maximum number of changes being eight, for if they change a ninth time, it will be their last.
The witch who changes for the ninth time will be stuck as a cat forever. Little is known as to whether the witch will retain her abilities, identity, and powers of speech. But this unfortunate state may indeed be where the idea that cats have nine lives comes from.
It also supports the myth that all cats were, or are, witches in disguise. That one is still undetermined.
Cat-Sith will steal your soul
Cat-Sith are known to be notorious soul stealers. I have no idea if this is related to the myth behind cats sucking out the breath of infants, but it might be worth looking into.
After a while, the Cat-Sith was caught in its soul-stealing ways. So, the Scottish people developed the means to ensnare the attention of the fairy cat. Some of these methods served to stop the cat “dead in its tracks”. Pardon the pun.
Some of these methods were short-term fixes, and others seemed to provide a long-term solution.
Riddles, the burning of catnip, storytelling, and campfires were created to halt the beast. Cats are naturally curious creatures, but the fae have an insatiable curiosity for riddles, storytelling, and, on many occasions, fire.
The Cat-Sith would sit and spend a significant amount of time trying to figure out the riddles being offered to them. They would ask the men for hints, or if they were on the right track.
Storytelling was another favoured pastime used to trick the fae creature. The Cat-Sith would find itself completely absorbed in the story being told and might perhaps join in with a story or two of its own.
And catnip, oh how the Cat-Sith loves and adores a good burning of catnip. That was always a sure-fire way to keep them busy for hours. Just as long as they did not pass over the corpse of the newly deceased.
If the body had been dead for a while, the Cat-Sith was not interested. By that time, the soul would have likely vacated and made its way into the afterlife.
If the Cat-Sith did manage to take the soul, then that spirit would never be able to enjoy the many gifts and treasures awaiting them on the other side, such as family, friends, loved ones, and knowledge.
It is also said that, to avoid the Cat-Sith altogether, villagers would leave saucers of pure milk outside their doors to appease the creatures. If the beast was appeased, the household would be blessed with a great abundance of luck and many other fortunes.
However, if nothing at all was left for the Cat-Sith, the cat fae would then curse the household with misfortunes, bad luck, and cows with dry udders who would only give blood or dust, placing the livestock in great pain.
With that awful note, I want to leave you with an amusing fact about Cat-Sith.
When no one was watching, the Cat-Sith would stand up on its hind legs, speak, sing, and perhaps do a little dance.
After all this time, the true nature of cats, and their souls, remains a mystery.
