Cat-sìth
The (, plural ), in Irish () is a fairy creature from Celtic mythology, said to resemble a large black cat with a white spot on its chest. Legend has it that the spectral cat haunts the Scottish Highlands. The legends surrounding this creature are more common in Scottish folklore, but a few occur in Irish. Some common folklore suggested that the was not a fairy, but a witch that could transform into a cat nine times. The may have been inspired by the Scottish wildcat itself. It is possible that the legends of the were inspired by Kellas cats, which are a distinctive hybrid between Scottish wildcats and domestic cats found only in Scotland (the Scottish wildcat is a population of the European wildcat, which is now absent from elsewhere in the British Isles). Appearance The is all black with the exception of a white spot on its chest. It is described as being as large as a dog and chooses to display itself with its back arched and bristles erect. The King of the Cats In the British folk tale "The King of the Cats", a man comes home to tell his wife and cat, Old Tom, that