Some people believe that cats engage in astral travel even in life. They also believe that if a cat adopts you, it will stay with you forever, even after death.
Drown a kitten or cat and its ghost will come back to haunt you.
Traits associated with cats include cleverness, unpredictability, healing and witchcraft, since in ancient times it was believed that witches took the form of their cats at night. Folklore has it that if a witch becomes human, her black cat will no longer reside in her house.
It was largely in the Middle Ages that the black cat became affiliated with evil. Because cats are nocturnal and roam at night, they were believed to be supernatural servants of witches, or even witches themselves. Partly because of the cat's sleek movements and eyes that 'glow' at night, they became the embodiment of darkness, mystery, and evil, possessing frightening powers. If a black cat walked into the room of an ill person, and the person later died, it was blamed on the cat's supernatural powers. If a black cat crossed a person's path without harming them, this indicated that the person was then protected by the devil. Often times, a cat would find shelter with older women who were living in solitude. The cat became a source of comfort and companionship, and the old woman would curse anyone who mistreated it. If one of these tormentors became ill, the witch and her familiar were blamed.
If a black cat crosses your path, greet the animal politely and stroke it three times if possible, while reciting this charm:
'Black cat, cross my path,
Good fortune bring to home and hearth,
When I am away from home
Bring me luck wherever I roam'.
Then leave the cat and go on your way. If you abuse, insult or ignore the cat, no good luck will follow.
Witches who rode on storms took the form of cats.
Sailors used cats to predict the voyages they were about to embark on. Loudly mewing cats meant that it would be a difficult voyage. A playful cat meant that it would be a voyage with good and gusty winds.
French peasants thought that black cats could find buried treasure, if they followed a specific ritual: find an intersection where 5 roads connected, then turn the cat loose and follow him.
Tortoiseshell cats were believed to be able to see into the future and could give the gift to a lucky child in the household.
Early Christians believed that if a cat sat on a grave, the buried person's soul was in the devil's power. Another belief was that if two cats were seen fighting near a dying person, or on the grave shortly after a funeral, the creatures are really the Devil and an Angel fighting over possesion of the soul.
The folklore that a cat has nine lives possibly came about because the number nine is the "trinity of trinities" and was considered lucky.
A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, fro three he strays, and for the last three he stays.
The cat has psychic powers.
Cats can see ghosts.
A cat purrs when encoutering a ghost, or when a ghost is in the room.
Cats can speak with the dead.
If a cat jumps over your coffin, your soul can't rest until it's dead.
