When Tige absconded, it was reported widely in the news, garnering a considerable amount of attention for his vanishing act. Tige lived at the White House, but liked to visit other federal buildings upon occasion, oftentimes disappearing for days at a time. Also, given that the White House has so many ghost stories attached to it already, it seems plausible that the Demon Cat might eventually turn up at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.Īnother possible explanation is the potential influence of Tige (also known as Tiger), a wandering cat of considerable renown owned by President Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge. The Demon Cat may have relocated from the United States Capitol to the White House in an effort to further perpetuate the story and make it seem more credible. 7 The Demon Cat benefits from this oral tradition, which allows the story’s details to evolve over time, including the location of where the feline specter appears. ![]() Even as the robust oral tradition of the ghost story waned in the early 1800s, due to increased human mobility and urbanization, the practice of sharing ghost stories by word of mouth persists today. Fireside tales served as a reliable source of entertainment, particularly in rural areas. Why does the myth of the Demon Cat persist over time, and why does it span more than one location? The legend of the Demon Cat has benefited from the oral tradition of ghost stories, which date back to Shakespearean Renaissance England. 5 Although the Demon Cat’s appearances at the White House cannot be confirmed by a firsthand source, the feline apparition is occasionally listed as one of the “most famous” ghosts of the Executive Mansion. Allegedly, another White House nightwatchman spotted the Demon Cat prior to John F. As the tale goes, a White House guard witnessed the Demon Cat just before the stock market crash in 1929. When the Demon Cat appears on the Ground Floor of the White House, considered previously as the basement, the apparition foreshadows a terrible event. The myth extends from the Capitol Building to the White House. 4 One of the most unique aspects of the Demon Cat legend is that the feline ghost appears at more than one location. Like most ghost stories, there are numerous variations of Demon Cat stories. 2 Former congressman John Dingell lends support to this detail, as he recalled hunting rats that were “as big as housecats” in the basement of the Capitol Building as a House of Representatives page during World War II. Capitol for decades, serving as cost-free and efficient exterminators of mice and vermin. In a 1935 account published in the Washington Post, one observer remarked that the Demon Cat’s eyes “glow with the all the hue and ferocity of the headlights of a fire engine.” The article also hints at a practical explanation for the Demon Cat: many cats ran freely in the basement passageways of the U.S. 1 The cat is sometimes described as a tabby, although others who have claimed to have seen it believe it is black. Since its initial manifestation, the Demon Cat most frequently shows up in the basement of the Capitol Building. A guard reportedly fired a gun at the cat, and it disappeared. ![]() ![]() Capitol’s basement was used as a bakery to feed soldiers, and the Demon Cat appeared there several times. The Demon Cat is also sometimes known as simply “D.C.”Īccording to an 1898 article in the Washington Post, the Demon Cat appears as a regular-sized housecat initially but then quickly expands to the “size of an elephant before the eyes of a terrified observer.” The first recorded appearance of the Demon Cat was in the United States Capitol in 1862. Other times, the Demon Cat’s appearance has been considered a prophecy of impending disaster or tragedy. According to the legend, the Demon Cat conspires to frighten unsuspecting people. It refers to an oversized, menacing cat that appears sporadically in prominent federal government buildings. The “Demon Cat” apparition is one of the best-known ghost stories in Washington, D.C.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |