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Cat Tails
Folklore and Superstition
There is a vast amount of legend, supersition and folklore surrounding the cat.
Much of it seems to involve their tails. This is possibly because of the wide variation
in tail length and shape. Here are a few of the stories I've come across:
Hairs
The hairs on the tip of the cat's tail are often associated with magical powers. In some
stories they have beeen used as an aid to divination, in others they are the mark of the
devil.
Luck
Stepping on the tail of a cat is said to bring bad luck. Since the cat is unlikely to be
pleased by such an event I can imagine this superstition coming true very quickly!
Straying
Some stories say that a cat can be prevented from straying by burying a portion of its
tail by the door of your home. Depending on the source, this requires anything from a few
hairs to the entire tail - needless to say, I do not recommend the latter approach!
In some legends the reason that certain breeds of cat have evolved short or non-existent
tails is to avoid this practice.
Ark
Another tale to account for the Manx cat's lack of tail is that it was caught in the door
of the ark when Noah slammed it shut. I can imagine the cat being late and looking at Noah
with a "Yeah, yeah - don't rush me" expression!
Vampires
Oriental vampires were said to be able to transform themselves into cats. However they
could always be recognised because they would have two tails.
Kinked
The kinked tail of the Siamese cat is said to have come into being when a princess used
it to store her rings whilst bathing. The cat curled its tail around the rings to protect
them and Siamese cats have had a kinked tail ever since.
All original material copyright © Trevor Mendham 2004 - 2008
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