Scottish Halloween Folklore - The Cat Sìth
Dear Diary,
With days getting notably shorter and the mostly dreich weather outside, all we want is a cosy fireplace, a blanket and a cuppa.
Perfect time to share some Scottish myths and folklore stories.
The Scots love their magical animal creatures.
From the Kelpies (horse) to the Selkies (human/seal) and the famous Nessie (Loch Ness Monster), where do you even begin?
As you all know, I’m particularly fond of cats and not long ago I came across the Cat Sìth.
Meet The Cat Sìth
These dreaded, malevolent fairy cats are home in the Scottish highlands.
Their name derives from Gaelic. “Sìth” means fairies it’s pronounced “cat-shee”.
They are described as a black cat the size of a large dog with a small white spot on the chest.
Most of the time, their fur is erected to showcase their power and dominance. And to scare people off.
Cat sìths will stand up on their hind legs but only when no one is watching, of course …
The Soul Thieves
Cat sìths have the reputation of being soul snatchers.
The highlanders believed that they would pass over the corpses of the newly deceased and steal their wandering souls before they would get buried.
They even set up watches to guard the dead, known as “Fèill Fadalach”.
Aside from those late wakes, the highlanders came up with other creative ways to distract the cats.
One custom involved catnip which was spread throughout the house, excluding the room where the dead were stored. They also played games, told stories and even danced. Well, all cats love to be entertained.
And as cats are also very fond of warmth, people never lit a fire near the body to keep them away.
The Witch Theory
Another theory suggests that those cats aren’t real cats. In fact, they are witches that can shapeshift into cats.
However, they can only transform 9 times before they would eventually become a cat for good.
Quite obvious where the number 9 reference is coming from here. The well-known cat lives myth …
Their Role at Samhain
I’d say every spooky Halloween party needs a black cat.
Samhain (“Sah-win”) is a Celtic pagan festival to celebrate the end of the Summer.
During Samhain, the barriers between the physical and the spiritual world break down to allow souls to pass through to the Otherworld. This holiday eventually became our modern Halloween.
Back then, it was believed that your household could get a blessing for the upcoming year if you left out a saucer of milk for the cat sìth.
Those who hadn’t would be cursed and the udders of their cows would dry.
Final words of caution from a cat mum: cats are not supposed to drink milk.