Cats, Witches and Parapsychology

Posted by Jill Stefko Jun 20, 2008

Even when I was a child, people decorated their homes for Hallowe’en displaying witches and black cats, either riding with them on brooms or hissing with arched backs. It was then that I became intrigued with cats and witches.

I’ve researched cats. Familiars and Totems is about alleged witches and their familiars and the difference between them and power animals of shamanistic people. I’ve read and written about animal symbolism including Cat: Pagan Symbol of the Arcane.

I was appalled when I read about Pope Gregory IX declaring cats were agents of the devil! Even worse, Pope Innocent VIII enacted a decree that all cats were to be killed as such! French King Louis XIII revoked the law. Then, I wrote Cats Persecuted as Familiars. I was horrified and outraged. How could “religious” people condemn an animal that was, once, revered by Christians? I looked at my three cats, shaking my head.

Cats have an aura of mystery and are nocturnal. They are aloof and difficult to train. They also have psychic ability. There is documentation to prove it. I’ve acquired expertise in the paranormal. Anpsi, animal psychic phenomena, is one of my favorite areas. I’ve written The Psychic World of Cats Part I and The Psychic World of Cats Part II about this. There is also documentation that some alleged witches were executed because they had these abilities. North Berwick Witches' Persecution evidences this.

Could there be a correlation between cats’ and humans’ psychic abilities and them being persecuted and executed because of these talents? Fear of what isn’t understood can lead to disastrous actions. During the height of these travesties, nothing was known about parapsychology. Even Saint Joan of Arc was burned at the stake as a witch….