Difference between revisions of "Cait Sith"

Latest revision as of 20:32, 19 November 2010

Error creating thumbnail: File missing

Copyright: Steadman Broeck

The Cat Sìth or Cat Sídhe is a monstrous fairy cat from Scottish and Irish mythology.

Etymology

The root words Cait (meaning cat in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic) and Sidhe, that stands for faery folk and/or other otherworldly beings, means fairy cat.

Description

J. G. Campbell describes it as a huge black cat being as large as a dog, with a white spot on its breast, with an arched back and erect bristles.

Behavior

Just like a real cat, Cait Sith could be ferocious if stumbled upon.

Theories

Many Highlanders believed that the Cat Sìth were transformed witches, not fairies.

As proposed by British cryptozoologist Karl Shuker, in his book Mystery Cats of the World (1989), it is possible that the legends of the Cat Sìth were inspired by Kellas Cats, which are probably a distinctive hybrid between European Wildcats and domestic cats only found in Scotland (the European Wildcat is absent from elsewhere in the British Isles). Typical Kellas Cats resemble large black wildcats, but with some peculiar features closer to domestic cats, and have probably been present in Scotland for centuries, maybe even some 2 millennia or more.

Other black cats

A not dissimilar creature appears in Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Black Cat", in which an ominous feline appears with a white patch on its breast whose shape appears to change into that of the gallows as a means of exacting vengeance on its master for its predecessor's death.

An even larger and more ferocious cat, the demonic god of the cats, appeared in answer to the wicked and ferocious ceremony of the Taghairm, which consisted in roasting successive cats alive on spits for four days and nights until Big Ears appeared and granted the wishes of the torturers. The last ceremony of Taghairm was said to have been performed in Mull and was described in detail in the London Literary Gazette (March 1824). The account is quoted by D. A. Mackenzie in SCOTTISH FOLK LORE AND FOLK LIFE.

Art/Fiction

Games

Final Fantasy XI - Cait Sith is a character that plays an important role in the storyline of Final Fantasy XI's expansion: Wings of the Goddess
Final Fantasy VII - Cait Sith is one of the nine playable characters in Final Fantasy VII. He is a cat riding a giant stuffed toy Moogle, but in reality he is a double agent: a puppet controlled by one of Shinra's own, Reeve Tuesti.
ARIA The ANIMATION - Cait Sith is a character who's role is akin to being the lord or god of the cats on both earth (called Man-home in the Aria setting) and Aqua (Mars), as well as having great supernatural poweress he acts as a guardian character for the main character Akari.
Black Company - Cat Sith is the name of one of the Unknown Shadows that befriends Murgen's son Tobo in Soldiers Live.

References

Shuker, Karl P.N. (1989). Mystery Cats of the World. Robert Hale: London, 1989. ISBN 0-7090-3706-6

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[Category: Fairy creatures]] [[Category:Fairy animals]]
+[[Image:Cat Sìth.jpg|thumb|Copyright: Steadman Broeck]]
+The '''Cat Sìth''' or '''Cat Sídhe''' is a monstrous fairy cat from Scottish and Irish mythology.
-'''Cait Sith''' is a fairy creature from '''Celtic mythology''' said to haunt Scottish Hightlands.
 ==Etymology==
 The root words ''Cait'' (meaning ''cat'' in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic) and [[Sidhe]], that stands for faery folk and/or other otherworldly beings, means fairy cat.
 ==Description==
-Cait Sith was said to be as big as a dog and completely black, with the exception of one white spot on its breast. The myths surrounding this fairy animal is more common in Scottish Folklore, though some come from Irish folklore as well Kellas Cat.
+J. G. Campbell describes it as a huge black cat being as large as a dog, with a white spot on its breast, with an arched back and erect bristles.
-===Behavior===
+==Behavior==
 Just like a real cat, Cait Sith could be ferocious if stumbled upon.
-===Folk beliefs ===
-It is possible the origin of the Cait Sith is related to some of the mystery black cats that have been caught in the region, a rare breed, extremely aggressive if cornered still populating the Highlands.
-By the way, some folklore suggested that the Cait Sidhe was not a [[fairy]], but a witch that shapeshifted to animal form.
+==Theories==
+Many Highlanders believed that the Cat Sìth were transformed witches, not fairies.
-See also
+As proposed by British cryptozoologist Karl Shuker, in his book Mystery Cats of the World (1989), it is possible that the legends of the Cat Sìth were inspired by '''Kellas Cats''', which are probably a distinctive hybrid between European Wildcats and domestic cats only found in Scotland (the European Wildcat is absent from elsewhere in the British Isles). Typical Kellas Cats resemble large black wildcats, but with some peculiar features closer to domestic cats, and have probably been present in Scotland for centuries, maybe even some 2 millennia or more.
+==Other black cats==
+A not dissimilar creature appears in Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Black Cat", in which an ominous feline appears with a white patch on its breast whose shape appears to change into that of the gallows as a means of exacting vengeance on its master for its predecessor's death.
+An even larger and more ferocious cat, the demonic god of the cats, appeared in answer to the wicked and ferocious ceremony of the Taghairm, which consisted in roasting successive cats alive on spits for four days and nights until Big Ears appeared and granted the wishes of the torturers. The last ceremony of Taghairm was said to have been performed in Mull and was described in detail in the London Literary Gazette (March 1824). The account is quoted by D. A. Mackenzie in SCOTTISH FOLK LORE AND FOLK LIFE.
+==Art/Fiction==
+===Games===
+* Final Fantasy XI - Cait Sith is a character that plays an important role in the storyline of Final Fantasy XI's expansion: Wings of the Goddess
+* Final Fantasy VII - Cait Sith is one of the nine playable characters in Final Fantasy VII. He is a cat riding a giant stuffed toy Moogle, but in reality he is a double agent: a puppet controlled by one of Shinra's own, Reeve Tuesti.
+* ARIA The ANIMATION - Cait Sith is a character who's role is akin to being the lord or god of the cats on both earth (called Man-home in the Aria setting) and Aqua (Mars), as well as having great supernatural poweress he acts as a guardian character for the main character Akari.
+* Black Company - Cat Sith is the name of one of the Unknown Shadows that befriends Murgen's son Tobo in Soldiers Live.
+==References==
+* Shuker, Karl P.N. (1989). Mystery Cats of the World. Robert Hale: London, 1989. ISBN 0-7090-3706-6
+==See also==
 [[Cusith]]
+[[Category:Fairy animals]]
+[[Category:Black dogs]]
+[[Category:Felines]]
+[[Category:Scottish mythology]]
+[[Category:Irish mythology]]