Sometimes identified with Bastet, the Greek goddess Artemis was said to appear in the form of a cat. In some myths, Artemis saves the daughter of Agamemnon by turning her into Hecate, the goddess of the moon, magic, and witchcraft. Notably, Hecate kept a black cat as a pet and familiar, underscoring the black cat’s association with the occult. One story goes that Hecate’s black cat was originally a serving maid, cursed by Hera for her insolence and transformed into a black cat as punishment. After her transformation, she became an assistant or priestess to Hecate, residing in the underworld, casting spells, and practicing magic.
