The Portland daily press., 1882-06-02

Superstitions About Cats.
In Ireland it is considered highly unlucky
for family to take with them cat when they
are moving, more especially, too, when they
have to cross river. Mr.. Gregor also tells us
that, in the northwest of Scotland, If COW or
other domestic animal was seized with disease,
one mode of cure was to twist rope of straw
the contrary way, JOIN the two ends, and put
the diseased animal through the loop along
with cat. By this means the disease was
supposed to be transferred to the cat, and the
animals life was so saved by the cat dying.
This, of course, was only one of the extensive
charms of which the leading idea was that of
substitution. A remedy for eryspelas, lately
practiced in the parish of Locharron, in the
Northwest Highlands, consisted in cutting off
one-half of the ear Of cat, and letting the
blood drop on the part affected Alluding,
moreover, to the numerous other items of folk
lore in connection with the cat, there is popu-
lar notion that May cat-a cat born in the
month of Mays of no use in catching rats
and mice, but exerts an injurious influence on
the house through bringing into it tdissagreable
reptiles of various kinds. Mrs Latham, in her
"West Sussex Superstitions," says that a
choly, and to be much addicted to catching
snakes and brin gng them into the house. /
had heard that this Westcountry belief existed
in our village; and, very lately, observing
most detected docking cat BY the fire in cot
tage, said, in jest, ST should think that cat was
born in May" "Oh, yes" said the owner of
it, "that she was, and SO was her mother; and
she was just as sad looking, and was always
bringing snakes and vipers within doors" +" In
Huntingdonshre there is common saying
that Nav kjttau makaa a dirtV c3t.'' This
supposed ill-luck attaching to a cat born in the
month of May is no doubt founded on the old
notion that May was an unfortunate season for
births of any kind, in allusion to which there
is an old proverb, which says
May chefs
Bad luck begets.
According to curious notion, still extensively
credited by our North-country peasantry, black
cat are supposed to bring not only good luck,
but also lovers-in illustration of which we
may quote well known rhyme on the sub
ject:
Whenever the cat o. the house is black,
The lasses o. lovers will have no lack.
Mr.. Henderson, speaking of this superstition,
tells us that an old North country woman on
one occasion said to lady; "Its ma wonder
jocks lasses marry off SO fast, ye ken what
a Draw black cat they've got" 1t is consider
lore prevalent in Germany, where if one
dreams of black cat at Christmas il is an
omen of some alarming illness during the fol-
lowing year. Equally unfortunate, too, is it
for cat to sneeze, this being supposed to indi-
cate that the family will have colds Thus,
we are informed by Mrs. Latham that in Sus-
sex, "even the most favored cat, if heard to
sneeze, is instantly shot out of doors for
should she stay to repeat the sneeze three
times indoors, the whole family will have colds
and coughs"
Lastly, there are many quaint traditions in
which the cat holds a prominent place; and an
amusing one, current in the north of England,
we may quote in concusion A gentleman
was one eveHng sitting costly in his parlor,
reading or meSitating, when he was interrupt
ed by the appearance of cat, which came
down the chimney and cried out, "Tell Dill
drum Doldrum's dead!" He was not unnatur-
ally startled by this strange occurrence; and
when shortly after his wife entered, and he
related to her what had happened, her own
cat, which accompanied her, exclaimed, SIS
Doldrum dead?" and Immediately rushed up
the chimney, and was heard of no more. OF
the numberless conjectures stated to account
for this extraordinary event. the most reasona-
BILE one appears to be that Doldrum had been
king of Catland, and that Dildrum was the
next heir.