Cat-sìth
Cat-sìth is a cat-like member of the fae, who originates from Scottish and to an extent Irish folklore. It appear as a black cat with a single white spot and tends to steal the souls of mourning people.
Description[]
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.
Some people believed that the cat-sìth was a witch that could transform voluntarily into its cat form and back nine times. 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. It is believed by some that this is how the idea of a cat having nine lives originated.
The demonic cat-sith called Big Ears could be summoned 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.
Overview[]
The people of the Scottish Highlands did not trust the 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 Fèill Fhadalach (Late Wake) were performed night and day to keep the cat-sìth away from a corpse before burial.
Methods of "distraction" such as games of leaping and wrestling, catnip, riddles and music would be employed to keep the cat-sìth away from the room in which the corpse lay. In addition, there were no fires where the body lay, as it was said that the cat-sìth was attracted to the warmth.
On Samhain, it was believed that a 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.