Season of the witch…

At some point in history, it became the stereotype that witches had familiars and that a lot of the time they were cats. To be more specific, black cats. Something I’ve always wondered is the name of the first feline on record believed to be a witches familiar.

The information I found available online for reference purposes surprised me. The first cat reputed to be a familiar wasn’t actually black; that particular detail is believed to have only become commonplace around Victorian times. The earliest mention in historical literature citing a cat as a witches familiar is in a 16th-century newspaper. The cat was a white spotted feline who was reported to have had the name Satan. Satan belonged to a lady called Elizabeth Francis, who was accused of using him to punish a lover who wouldn’t marry her. It was also thought she would send the cat round to neighbours she didn’t like, and it was believed this caused them to fall ill or die.

I find the name choice (if accurate) interesting in this specific instance. Cats linked to another woman documented as a good witch and healer; a lady by the name of Ursula Kemp, were believed to have received the monikers of Tiffin and Jack, which sounds a lot less intimidating.

Regardless of their allegiance, one thing seems to be consistent. Women who were labeled witches throughout history have, as a rule, been smart enough to see the benefits of having a feline companion or two sharing their lives.