Cats

Cats of the Waking World

Cats have an unusual sensitivity to the alien and the supernatural.

During the raid on Joseph Curwen's house, when a red fog ascended to the sky, three kittens at the nearby Fenner farmhouse were seized with convulsive fright [HPL Case (online text)].

The five cats of Nahum Gardner's farm left after the arrival of the Colour Out of Space [HPL Colour (online text)].

Crawford Tillinghast boasted that his machine would enable them to see "that at which cats prick up their ears after midnight" [HPL Beyond (online text)].

The cat Nigger-Man showed signs of alertness and anxiety shortly after moving into Exham Priory. The other cats in the household were affected similarly. When Delapore heard the sounds of rats in the walls, Nigger-Man reacted as if rodents were present in the room. [HPL Rats (online text)]

The town of Innsmouth was marked by a complete absence of cats and dogs [HPL Innsmouth (online text)].

The cat Little Sam had occasional episodes of fear and fury when living in Wilbur Akeley's old house, and refused to go in the room with the gable window [AWD Gable (online text)].

Cats of Dreamlands

In Ulthar, according to an ancient and significant law, no man may kill a cat. The law arose after an incident involving an old cotter and his wife, who were fond of torturing and killing cats. After they killed a kitten belonging to dark wanderers from the South, one of the wanderers raised his arms to the sky and prayed in an unknown tongue. Thereafter, all the cats of Ulthar began circling the home of the cotter and his wife. When the villagers next looked in on the cotters, their bones had been picked clean of flesh. [HPL Cats (online text)].

It was the priest Barzai who advised the burgesses of Ulthar to pass their law against killing cats. Barzai also told Atal where the black cats go on St. John's Eve. [HPL Other (online text)]

Randolph Carter visited Ulthar about 300 years after this incident; for Atal, who had been a small boy when the law was passed, was fully three centuries old when Carter met him [HPL Cats; Kadath (online text)].

[HPL Kadath]: The neighborhood of Ulthar is notable for the presence of many cats. The cats of Ulthar slew a party of zoogs that had followed Carter to the town, because one of the zoogs sought to eat a kitten. Later, Carter informed the cats of the zoogs' plans for revenge. The cats launched a pre-emptive strike, and secured the surrender of the zoogs, along with twelve young zoogs of noble families to keep as hostages, and an annual tribute of grouse, quail, and pheasants.

The cats of dreamland leap from rooftops up into the sky at night and visit the dark side of the moon. When Carter was held prisoner on the moon's dark side by the moon-things, an army of cats rescued him and slew his captors. Carter was able to converse with them in the soft language of cats. The old cat-general of Ulthar taught Carter passwords and introductions he could use when meeting other cats.

The only enemy feared by earth's cats are the very large and peculiar cats from Saturn, who are allied to the moon-things.

In Thran, Carter spoke gravely to the venerable cat at the inn where he stayed. In Celephaïs, an old Maltese, the chief of Celephaïs' cats, told Carter much of the secret lore known to cats on the seaward slopes of Ooth-Nargai, and also told Carter where to find Kuranes.

Cats avoid Inganok, and the ships that go there, because Inganok holds shadows that no cat can endure, and a brooding hint of outer space which cats do not like. The men of Inganok are sorry that no cats will stay there, and blame it on the hidden nearness of Leng.

Cats of Ancient Egypt

In the decadent period, the priests of Egypt created composite mummies combining parts of humans and various sacred animals, such as cats [HPL Pyramids (online text)].

The priests of Bast mated cats and humans in an attempt to create a hybrid being with the attributes of their deity. [RB Brood]

Incl: Nigger-Man.

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