one learns that cats were occasionally made use of in
medicine; to cure peasants of skin diseases, French sorcerers sprinkling
the afflicted parts with three drops of blood drawn from the vein under
a cat's tail; whilst blindness was treated by blowing into the
patient's eyes, three times a day, the dust made from ashes of the head
of a black cat that had been burned alive.

"Talking of burning cats reminds me of a horrible practice that was
prevalent in the Hebrides as late as 1750. It was firmly believed there
that cats were extraordinarily psychic, and that a sure means of getting
in close touch with occult powers, and of obtaining from them the
faculty of second sight--such as the cat possessed--was to offer up as
sacrifices innumerable black cats. The process was very simple. A black
cat was fastened to a spit before a slow fire, and as soon as the
wretched animal was well roasted, another took its place; victims being
supplied without intermission, until their vociferous screams brought to
the scene a number of ghostly cats who joined in the chorus. The desired
climax was reached, when an enormous phantom cat suddenly appeared, and
informed the operator that it was willing to grant him any one request
if he would only refrain from his cruel persecution. The operator at
once demanded the faculty of second sight--a power more highly prized in
the Hebrides than any other--and the moment it was bestowed on him, set
free the remaining cats. Had all races been as barbarously disposed as
these occult-hungering Westerners, cats would soon have become extinct;
but it is comforting to think that in some parts of the world a very
different value was set on their psychic properties.

"In various parts of Europe (some districts of England included) white
cats were thought to attract benevolently disposed fairies, and a
peasant would as soon have thought of cutting off his fingers, or
otherwise maltreating himself, as being unkind to an animal of this
species. In the fairy lore of half Europe we have instances of
luck-bringing cats--each country producing its own version of Puss in
Boots, Dame Mitchell and her cat, the White Cat, Dick Whittington and
his cat, etc. It is the same in Asia, too; for nowhere are such stories
more prolific than in China and Persia.

"To sum up--in all climes and in all periods of past history, the cat
was credited with many propensities that brought it into affinity and
sympathy with the supernatu