the myth – the history
According to legend, in Lincolnshire, Great Britain, in the 1560s, a father and son were frightened one dark night by a small creature running across their path. They threw stones at the animal. They then noticed an injured cat limping into the house of a woman who had been suspected of being a witch. The following day the woman was seen limping and with bruises about her. As a result, the belief that witches could take the shape of black cats took hold. During the Salem witch hunts in America thousands of black cats were killed as a result of this suspected link to witches.
the cat’s dilemma
Cat owners are advised to use caution throughout the month of October because of the rare but very real possibility that their pets could be kidnapped for use in satanic rituals at Halloween. I wish I could deliver a punch line here, but I can’t.
It’s not something you hear about much, and certainly, some of the stories that are bound to circulate each year will be hearsay, rumors originated by youths hoping to cash in on the shock value to scare friends or younger siblings; and an equal number can likely be dismissed as simple urban legends. Nevertheless, some of the tales are true; humane societies confirm that ritual sacrifices still occur, and law enforcement agencies do sometimes find mutilated and/or disemboweled cats around this time of the year. According to the Associated Press, three teenagers were charged last year in Leavenworth, Washington, in the torture and killing of a cat on Halloween night. Authorities said one beat the cat against a rock, then the teens allegedly tied the dead cat to a truck and dragged it.
countermeasures
That said, as a cat owner myself, I am very careful at this time of year to minimize, as much as is feasible, my indoor-only cat’s exposure to people outside. I was very grateful to my wife for alerting me to this threat when we adopted our kitten, Fraidy, five years ago. And every year since then, she and I have barred his access to all window sills during the weeks leading up to Halloween, the purpose being to limit his exposure to anyone outside who might see him. As remote as the possibility might be that a passerby is a satanist on the prowl for a sacrificial cat, we refuse to assume that everyone who glances at our windows is merely interested in the history of glass manufacturing. Grandma was right—better safe than sorry.
So, how does one keep a cat hidden? Any cat owner will tell you it can require a little creativity (as cats can be extremely inventive and persistent); but It can be done. For example, we keep the office door closed to keep him out of that room altogether. There is a 2’ wide, 5’ high window right next to our front door. It has a curtain that hangs there year-round, but Fraidy jumps up onto the sill and moves the curtain out of his way. He sits there and waits for us to come home. So, every October I temporarily secure a ready-made garden trellis to the wall, blocking Fraidy’s access to the window sill and curtain. And during the rest of the year it makes a perfect … well, garden trellis. It’s a simple barrier that keeps anyone who may be walking by from knowing that we have a cat.
Like us, you may already have some items around your own home that can help you achieve this; a child’s safety gate is an effective barrier (and for one month, let your toddler go wherever it wants—just be sure to keep the car keys out of reach). Remove items on the floor that can give your cat a step up to a high window sill. If it’s low enough for him to reach with a hearty jump up from the floor, place items along the sill to discourage him from leaping up there. If your cat is an indoor-outdoor critter, limit or eliminate his or her access to the outside as much as possible. Temporarily place a piece of furniture in front of the pet hatch, and be prepared to dole out lots of love (and treats) when the indignant yowling begins.
rent-a-cat
Sadly, another trend that has gained momentum over the past few years is the practice of “adopting” a cat from the local shelter just before Halloween for use as an “accessory”—to “complement that witch’s or ghoul’s outfit”—as if the poor animal were simply another dime store handbag or necklace. Occultists might want a black cat to use as a “familiar”, a demon supposedly attending and obeying a witch, often said to assume the form of an animal. Some people “adopt” the animals in order to add another decoration to the house for the day.
Borrowing is more like it—and it’s cruel. Cats are sentient creatures, and imagine how they must feel, going “home” with someone (which, to a cat, is traumatic because it must adapt to a new environment) only to be returned to the shelter a couple of days later like so much defective merchandise. Recognizing this callous and inhumane practice, along with the very real possibility that someone may simply be in the market for a sacrificial animal, shelters across the nation have begun placing moratoriums, as it were, on cat adoptions in the weeks leading up to Halloween. They won’t adopt out black cats, sought after for their superstitious associations, nor will they allow the adoption of white cats, sacrificed as symbols of purity or innocence. Let’s hope that more and more shelters begin to embrace this practice in the future.
but then what?
But now, with a convenient source of animals removed from the supply side, the truly ardent occultists are left with only two options—trap a wild or feral cat, or prowl the streets, hoping to kidnap yours—even if it means breaking in when you’re not home.
other risks
And in fact, it’s not just cats or even Black Cats that are in danger! Nan Stuart, who teaches at the Law Enforcement Training Institute at the University of Missouri and elsewhere about cruelty investigations, said contrary to what some may think, white cats or white German shepherds are probably the most sought after for ritual killings at Halloween.
bottom line
I know it’s hard to believe, but there are actually people out there looking for YOUR cat. And it may seem a little silly trying to hide your cat from the neighborhood—but it comes down to this: how much do you love your cat? Please pass this along to other pet owners; they’ll be grateful for this advice.
About the author: Eric Uhland has been a copywriter, proofreader/copy editor, professional photographer, and feature writer since 1986. Read more from this author
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