Can Cats See Ghosts?

Some wonder, "Can cats see ghosts?" This is due to many pet owners having witnessed
their animals, especially cats, interacting with things that were not visible to the human eye.
Are cats able to see ghosts? Some of the ghostly accounts of felines battling the unseen,
or following something invisible would seem to indicate so.

Any true observer of animals will know that what some may call beasts are actually
intelligent creatures, adept at communicating without language. Somehow, animals such
as cats, apparently share a connection with each other that is perhaps best described as
some form of psychic energy. Animals of all sorts simply "know" things humans would
think they couldn't possibly ever be aware of. They are not unintelligent by any stretch.

It is this form of sixth sense, that much of the
animal kingdom possesses, that possibly
allows them to be more in-tune with the
invisible world; and cats are extremely
capable of being aware of what is happening
within their environment. How many pet
owners have witnessed their dog or cat
seeing something that frightens it? Almost
every cat owner can tell the tale of their
beloved kitty having its hair stand up on its
back, while hissing and spitting at seemingly
thin air. What causes this? Can cats see
ghosts?

Ghost stories would indicate that cats are very perceptive of both the physical and spiritual
realms. There are many accounts of cats seeing ghosts, and the following are just a
couple of the them. One gentleman, who live alone, resides in a very active, older home. It
is not uncommon for people to experience contact from ghosts while there. One day he
noticed his new cat sitting on the stairs gazing at something he simply could not see.
Becoming quite hysteric, the cat began swiping its claws through the air in an attempt to
defend itself. Yet, the threat the cat perceived was seemingly non-existent. One must ask,
"What would make a cat become frightened to the point of engaging in self-defense,
other than the ghost of a person or animal?"

Another ghost story concerning a cat tells of the pet's owner observing the kitty gaze at
their home's stairs. What was unnerving was the fact the cat's eyes and head would follow
something invisible move up, then down the staircase. The cat also would intently watch a
certain spot on the ceiling of a room, and one day the pet and its owner found out why.
Both of them heard heavy, stomping boots of a man walking across the upstairs floor
directly above the spot on the ceiling. The cat could sense this long before the footsteps
were ever heard audibly.

In Egypt, cats were regarded as gods. Cats were truly to be considered sacred animals,
some being deified, while many were mummified. Could it be that Egyptians knew of the
animal's unique perception of the spirit world? Perhaps, to the people of ancient Egypt
cats provided earthly glimpses of the unseen realm.

It should be noted that cats, after the death of their physical body, have also been known to
visit their earthly (both animal and human) friends. There are many tales of former pets still
being heard within the home, or a bodily depression being made on a favorite sleeping
spot, such as a bed. A couple cat ghost stories come to mind in particular. The haunted
Fairport Harbor Lighthouse in northern Ohio has its share of witnesses seeing the ghost of
a cat. The cat, described as a gray puff of smoke, has been observed within the
lighthouse's home. A former caretaker's wife had once kept many cats in the house while
ill. Many years later, the mummified remains of a cat were found in a wall during some
repair work. Did they find the body of the ghostly feline?

Wanda from the Angels & Ghosts Forum shared an intriguing story of her ghost cat
experience. She had good confirmation that her beloved cat was indeed with her:

"My cat, Babette was a blue Persian. I had always wanted a Persian, as they are such
sweet cats. Anyway, I got Babette from a breeder. She was a polydactyl (six toes on the
front paws, seven on each back paw). She was really descended from Hemingway cats
in Key West. However, Babette had very small kidneys and went into failure when she
was 4 years old. My Mom was upset, as Babette adored her. Soon after, we had to have
"Babby" put down. I woke up often, feeling her big paws kneading my back as she
always did, and heard her purr. They don't call them 'Purr-sians' for nothing. She had
the biggest purr ever. I felt like (the phenomena was caused by) just being half asleep
and memory. My Mom called me a couple of weeks after Babby was put down. She
said, 'I still feel her jumping on the bed with those big feet. And I hear that big purr!!' I just
told my Mom that Babby loved her and was checking on her."

For more, visit: Animal Ghost Stories

Photos used with permission
from Flickr and Eva101,
Hannibal Poenaru, and
piccadillywilson.

Can Cats See Ghosts? Back to: Animal Ghosts