Cats and Witches: The Story Behind the Myths

How a medieval witch hunt turned human companions into symbols of fear.
Cats and Witches: The Story Behind the Myths
The silhouette of a weather vane depicting a witch and her black cat on a broom, is seen at sunset in Riex, western Switzerland, on Oct. 15, 2018. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images
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About one third of all households in the United States have pet cats, making them second only to dogs in terms of pet popularity. Yet cats, and especially black cats, are often maligned and feared due to their historical association with witches.

Superstitions concerning both cats and witches hold marked places in the human imagination, and especially around Halloween, both are ubiquitous in the decorations and lore of the season.

Duncan Burch
Duncan Burch
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