Cat witches

Cats have been particularly close and tied to women from everlasting. In everyday life woman was more tolerant and could appreciate the independence and resignation of these small animals and in religious rites the cat was a symbol of femininity and motherhood.

In pre-Christian times in many cultures there existed a cult of the goddess-mother - a symbol of fertility, a deity associated with birth. These goddesses were portrayed as cats, or at least had features, similar to this animal.

Observing cats' life we can see that cats are good mothers, which can produce large offspring. They are loving and caring, ready to protect their kittens from danger, carefully transferring them to a safe place or fighting with enemies, etc. Gradual displacement of pagan gods and spread of Christianity led to the tragic change in attitude towards cats. The church considered them as evil demons, envoy of devil, dangerous fellows of witches and sorcerers. Throughout the Middle Ages and early modern times cats, especially black, were subjected to severe persecution, started in the XIII century and lasted for more than 450 years.

Independence from people, night walks, eyes glowing in the dark and mewing aroused unjust suspicions about them and those who cared about them. There was a belief that witches were riding on the huge cats to participate in Sabbaths, and a woman who had a cat, took risks of being burned as a witch. Most victims were poor and elderly women who, despite their poverty, lovingly cared about their pets. Even now many people accuse the owners of cats that they love animals more than people, or that they consider them equal.

Not only poor people loved cats. Representatives of the nobility and the clergy sometimes kept cats too, and they were powerful enough not to be committed for trial.

In the East the attitude to cats was more favourable, while in Japan, their fate was similar to the fate of European cats. At first everything was all right. These animals protected valuable manuscripts from the sharp teeth of rodents. But in XIII century cats became to be associated with demons.

Over the past 200 years the cat won Japan back. There even exists a special cult of the animal.

Nevertheless, in the eastern world the attitude to cat remained ambiguous, for many it remained to be false and insidious friend who is willing to withdraw at any moment. Today many people still think that black cat is a sign of misfortune.

Superstitious views connected with cats, especially black ones, are related to their significant role in the witchcraft, magic and occultism.

Traces of mysticism connected with cats are shown in fairy tales.

So the cat is an absolutely mysterious and inexplicable and thus highly esteemed animal. However they were burned because of this mysteriousness. Inquisitors thought that burning a cat they kill a sorcerer, hidden in it.