Pope Gregory IX’s War on Cats: Superstition, Fear, and the Medieval Battle Against Felinity
Introduction: The Papal Decree That Doomed the Cat
In the long annals of history, the Catholic Church has waged wars against heresy, paganism, and rival kingdoms. But in the 13th century, one Pope declared war on an unlikely foe: the domestic cat. Pope Gregory IX, who reigned from 1227 to 1241, issued a decree that associated cats—particularly black cats—with Satan and heresy.
This bizarre decree, preserved in his papal bull Vox in Rama (1233), launched one of the strangest conflicts in medieval Europe: a papal “war” against felines. Cats were burned, slaughtered, and persecuted across the continent. But as history would later show, this war on cats may have carried grave consequences—not only for animal life but for humanity itself.
The Medieval World and the Fear of the Devil
To understand why Pope Gregory IX condemned cats, we must look at the broader context of the 13th century. Medieval Europe was steeped in religious symbolism and superstition. Disease, famine, and unexplained deaths were often interpreted as the work of Satan.
The papacy was engaged in constant struggles against heretical sects like the Cathars and Waldensians. Witchcraft and heresy were viewed as existential threats to Christendom. In such a climate, it wasn’t difficult to demonize an animal long associated with mystery, independence, and nocturnal habits.
The Bull Vox in Rama: Cats and the Devil
In 1233, Pope Gregory IX issued Vox in Rama, a papal bull written to condemn heretical practices in Germany. Among the accusations against heretics was a curious and sinister ritual: worshiping a black cat.
The document describes gatherings where heretics supposedly kissed a black cat’s rear, after which the animal would speak to them or slink away as a symbol of Satan himself. Cats, particularly black ones, were thus portrayed as demonic familiars—a tangible link between humans and the Devil.
While it’s likely that these stories were exaggerated or fabricated, the effect was catastrophic for cats across Christendom.
Cats as Symbols of Heresy and Witchcraft
The decree spread quickly across Europe, and cats became targets of suspicion and violence. Black cats in particular were singled out as creatures of the Devil.
This marked a turning point in European folklore. While cats had been revered in ancient Egypt and tolerated in Roman households as vermin-killers, in medieval Christian Europe they became symbols of witchcraft. Women accused of witchcraft were often rumored to keep a “familiar,” usually a cat, through which the Devil communicated.
Thus, the papal war on cats was not only theological—it reshaped popular culture, embedding the image of the witch and her cat in Western imagination for centuries.
The Consequences: From Rat Plagues to the Black Death
One of the most debated consequences of Gregory IX’s war on cats was its role in the outbreak of the Black Death in the mid-14th century.
- With cats killed en masse, the population of rats and mice—natural carriers of fleas—likely grew unchecked.
- When the plague arrived in Europe in 1347, spread by fleas from infected rodents, the absence of large numbers of cats may have accelerated the epidemic.
- The Black Death killed an estimated 25 to 50 million people in Europe—nearly half the continent’s population.
Historians argue over how much Gregory’s decree contributed to this devastation, but the timing is chilling. By driving cats to near extermination in many regions, the papacy may have indirectly unleashed the deadliest pandemic in European history.
The Cat’s Rehabilitation
Despite centuries of demonization, cats eventually clawed their way back into human favor. By the Renaissance, the practical value of cats as pest-controllers became impossible to ignore. Sailors brought cats aboard ships to control rats, while farmers welcomed them back into barns and granaries.
By the 18th and 19th centuries, cats began to shift from symbols of witchcraft to companions. Victorian England, in particular, celebrated cats as pets, and by the modern era, they became one of humanity’s most beloved animals.
Pope Gregory IX: A Complex Legacy
It is important to note that Pope Gregory IX was not defined solely by his war on cats. He was a powerful and influential pope who established the Papal Inquisition, strengthened canon law, and oversaw the expansion of papal power in Europe.
Yet, for all his achievements, his role in demonizing cats has left a peculiar footnote in history. While his intention was to combat heresy, his decree against cats sparked centuries of superstition that had real-world consequences.
Conclusion: Lessons from the Papal War on Cats
Pope Gregory IX’s war on cats reminds us how fear and superstition can shape history in unexpected ways. By declaring cats agents of the Devil, the medieval Church may have unleashed consequences it could never have foreseen—contributing, indirectly, to one of the deadliest pandemics in human history.
Today, cats remain entwined with both mystery and affection. They are no longer viewed as demonic but as companions, protectors of food stores, and beloved pets. Yet the ghost of Gregory’s decree lingers in folklore: the black cat still crosses our path with an air of suspicion, a vestige of the medieval war on felinity.
Key Historical Characters
- Pope Gregory IX (1227–1241): The pope who issued Vox in Rama, linking cats with heresy.
- Frederick II of Germany: Holy Roman Emperor and contemporary of Gregory, often at odds with papal authority.
- The Cathars: A heretical sect whose suppression may have inspired parts of Gregory’s decree.
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References
- Bailey, Michael D. Magic and Superstition in Europe: A Concise History from Antiquity to the Present.
- Cohn, Norman. Europe’s Inner Demons: An Enquiry Inspired by the Great Witch-Hunt.
- Ziegler, Philip. The Black Death.
Reviewed by Sagar B
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June 18, 2025
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