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| {{DISPLAYTITLE:{{lang|gd|Cat-sìth|nocat=y}}}} | {{DISPLAYTITLE:{{lang|gd|Cat-sìth|nocat=y}}}} | ||
| {{EngvarB|date=October 2013}} | {{EngvarB|date=October 2013}} | ||
| {{Use dmy dates|date= |
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} | ||
| {{Infobox mythical creature | {{Infobox mythical creature | ||
| |AKA = Cat-sidhe, Fairy Cat | |AKA = Cat-sidhe, Fairy Cat | ||
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| The '''{{lang|gd|cat-sìth}}''' ({{IPA |
The '''{{lang|gd|cat-sìth}}''' ({{IPA|gd|kʰaʰt̪ ˈʃiː|lang}}, plural {{lang|gd|cait-shìth}}), in Irish '''{{lang|ga|cat sí}}''' ({{IPA|ga|kat̪ˠ ˈʃiː|lang}}), is a ] creature from ], said to resemble a large ] with a white spot on its chest. Legend has it that the spectral cat haunts the ]. The legends surrounding this creature are more common in ], but a few occur in ]. Some common folklore suggested that the {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} was not a fairy, but a ] that could transform into a cat nine times.<ref name=ScotSuperstitions>{{cite web |last=Campbell |first=John Gregorson |title=Superstitions of the Highlands & Islands of Scotland |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/61730/pg61730-images.html |access-date=29 November 2024 }}</ref><ref name=Scotlore>{{cite web |last=MacGillivray |first=Deborah |title=The Cait Sidhe |url=http://deborahmacgillivray.co.uk/scotlore_caitsidhe.htm |access-date=14 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120821034420/http://deborahmacgillivray.co.uk/scotlore_caitsidhe.htm |archive-date=21 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cats-celtic-folklore-scottish-wildcat-cait-sidhe-sith-samhain-halloween |title=Meet the "King of Cats" From Celtic Folklore |date=28 January 2015 |author=Robin Mudge |work=Catster |access-date=11 March 2019 }}</ref> | ||
| The {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} may have been inspired by the ] itself.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures |last=Matthews |first=John |author2=Caitlín Matthews |year=2005 |publisher=HarperElement |isbn=978-1-4351-1086-1 |page=91 }}</ref> Furthermore, it is also possible that the legends of the {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} were inspired by ]s, which are a distinctive ] between Scottish wildcats and ]s found only in |
The {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} may have been inspired by the ] itself.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures |last=Matthews |first=John |author2=Caitlín Matthews |year=2005 |publisher=HarperElement |isbn=978-1-4351-1086-1 |page=91 }}</ref> Furthermore, it is also possible that the legends of the {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} were inspired by ]s, which are a distinctive ] between Scottish wildcats and ]s found only in Scotland (the Scottish wildcat is a population of the ], which is now absent from elsewhere in the ]). | ||
| ==Appearance== | ==Appearance== | ||
| The {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} is all black with the exception of a white spot on its chest.<ref name=Grimassi>{{cite book |last=Grimassi|first=Raven|title=Encyclopedia of Wicca and Witchcraft |year=2000 |publisher=Llewellyn |location=St. Paul |isbn=1-56718-257-7 |page=76 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofwi00grim_0/page/76 }}</ref> It is described as being as large as a dog and chooses to display itself with its back arched and bristles erect.<ref name=Grimassi/> | The {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} is all black with the exception of a white spot on its chest.<ref name=Grimassi>{{cite book |last=Grimassi|first=Raven|title=Encyclopedia of Wicca and Witchcraft |year=2000 |publisher=Llewellyn |location=St. Paul |isbn=1-56718-257-7 |page=76 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofwi00grim_0/page/76 }}</ref> It is described as being as large as a dog and chooses to display itself with its back arched and bristles erect.<ref name="ScotSuperstitions"/><ref name=Grimassi/> | ||
| ==The King of the Cats== | ==The King of the Cats== | ||
| In the ] "]", a man comes home to tell his wife and cat, Old Tom, that he saw nine black cats with white spots on their chests carrying a coffin with a crown on it |
In the ] "]", a man comes home to tell his wife and cat, Old Tom, that he saw nine black cats with white spots on their chests carrying a coffin with a crown on it. One of the nine cats says to the man "Tell Tom Tildrum that Tim Toldrum is dead." Old Tom then exclaims, "What?! Old Tim dead! Then I'm the King o' the Cats!" The cat then climbs up the chimney and is never seen again.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jacobs |first=Joseph |title=More English Fairy Tales |url=https://archive.org/details/moreenglishfairy00jacoiala |year=1894 |chapter=The King o' the Cats }}</ref> | ||
| == |
==Witches== | ||
| Some people believed that the {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} was a witch or demon in the guise of an animal, and that {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} had no connection to fairies.<ref name="ScotSuperstitions"/> | |||
| The people of the Scottish Highlands did not trust the {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}}. They believed that it could steal a person's soul, before it was claimed by the gods, by passing over a corpse before burial; therefore, watches called the {{lang|gd|Fèill Fhadalach}} ('late wake') were performed night and day to keep the {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} away from a corpse before burial.<ref name="Scotlore"/> Methods of "distraction" such as games of leaping and wrestling, catnip, riddles and music would be employed to keep the {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} away from the room in which the corpse lay.<ref name="Scotlore"/> In addition, there were no fires where the body lay, as it was said that the {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} was attracted to the warmth.<ref name="Scotlore"/> | |||
| ==Samhain== | |||
| On ], it was believed that a {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} would bless any house that left a saucer of milk out for it to drink and those houses that did not put out a saucer of milk would be cursed into having all of their cows' udders go dry.<ref name="Scotlore"/> | |||
| ==Summoning== | ==Summoning== | ||
| The demonic {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} called Big Ears could be summoned (Gaelic {{lang|gd|taghairm}} {{IPA |
The demonic {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} called Big Ears could be summoned (Gaelic {{lang|gd|taghairm}} {{IPA|gd|tɤrʲɤm}}) to appear and grant any wish to those who took part in the ceremony. The ceremony required practitioners to burn the bodies of cats over the course of four days and nights.<ref name="ScotSuperstitions"/><ref>{{cite web |title=The Cat Sìth in Celtic Mythology |url=https://www.scotclans.com/cat-sith-celtic-mythology/ |date=15 August 2018 |author=Rowan Moffet |website=scotclans |access-date=24 October 2018 |archive-date=24 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024192356/https://www.scotclans.com/cat-sith-celtic-mythology/ |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> | ||
| ==Transformation== | |||
| Some people believed that the {{lang|gd|cat-sìth}} was a witch that could transform voluntarily into its cat form and back nine times.<ref name="Scotlore"/> If one of these witches chose to go back into their cat form for the ninth time, they would remain a cat for the rest of their lives.<ref name="Scotlore"/> It is believed by some that this is how the idea of a cat having nine lives originated.<ref name="Scotlore"/> | |||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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Latest revision as of 20:50, 20 January 2025
Cat spirit in Celtic mythology This article is about the Scottish fairy. For the Final Fantasy VII character, see Cait Sith (Final Fantasy).
 | |
| Grouping | Legendary creature |
|---|---|
| Sub grouping | Fairy, witch |
| Similar entities | Phantom cat |
| Folklore | Scottish, Irish |
| Other name(s) | Cat-sidhe, Fairy Cat |
| Country | Scotland |
| Region | Scottish Highlands |
The cat-sìth (Scottish Gaelic: [kʰaʰt̪ ˈʃiː], plural cait-shìth), in Irish cat sí (Irish: [kat̪ˠ ˈʃiː]), is a fairy creature from Celtic mythology, said to resemble a large black cat with a white spot on its chest. Legend has it that the spectral cat haunts the Scottish Highlands. The legends surrounding this creature are more common in Scottish folklore, but a few occur in Irish. Some common folklore suggested that the cat-sìth was not a fairy, but a witch that could transform into a cat nine times.
The cat-sìth may have been inspired by the Scottish wildcat itself. Furthermore, it is also possible that the legends of the cat-sìth were inspired by Kellas cats, which are a distinctive hybrid between Scottish wildcats and domestic cats found only in Scotland (the Scottish wildcat is a population of the European wildcat, which is now absent from elsewhere in the British Isles).
Appearance
The cat-sìth is all black with the exception of a white spot on its chest. It is described as being as large as a dog and chooses to display itself with its back arched and bristles erect.
The King of the Cats
In the English folk tale "The King of the Cats", a man comes home to tell his wife and cat, Old Tom, that he saw nine black cats with white spots on their chests carrying a coffin with a crown on it. One of the nine cats says to the man "Tell Tom Tildrum that Tim Toldrum is dead." Old Tom then exclaims, "What?! Old Tim dead! Then I'm the King o' the Cats!" The cat then climbs up the chimney and is never seen again.
Witches
Some people believed that the cat-sìth was a witch or demon in the guise of an animal, and that cat-sìth had no connection to fairies.
Summoning
The demonic cat-sìth called Big Ears could be summoned (Gaelic taghairm Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: [tɤrʲɤm]) to appear and grant any wish to those who took part in the ceremony. The ceremony required practitioners to burn the bodies of cats over the course of four days and nights.
See also
- Aos Sí
- Beast of Bodmin
- Cù-sìth
- Cath Palug
- Grimalkin
- Kellas cat
- List of fictional cats
- Phantom cat
- "The Black Cat" (short story)
References
- ^ Campbell, John Gregorson. "Superstitions of the Highlands & Islands of Scotland". Retrieved 29 November 2024.
- MacGillivray, Deborah. "The Cait Sidhe". Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- Robin Mudge (28 January 2015). "Meet the "King of Cats" From Celtic Folklore". Catster. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- Matthews, John; Caitlín Matthews (2005). The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures. HarperElement. p. 91. ISBN 978-1-4351-1086-1.
- ^ Grimassi, Raven (2000). Encyclopedia of Wicca and Witchcraft. St. Paul: Llewellyn. p. 76. ISBN 1-56718-257-7.
- Jacobs, Joseph (1894). "The King o' the Cats". More English Fairy Tales.
- Rowan Moffet (15 August 2018). "The Cat Sìth in Celtic Mythology". scotclans. Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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