Katzenmann or Cat Man is a hybrid harvest spirit of German mythology. A man with qualities of a cat or vice versa, he can manifest different forms, often assuming the appearance of a black cat. As a shape-shifting spirit he can also seem fully human but, like nixies, retains traits of his true nature.
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Katzenmann functions in the realm of Faerie, a large group of magical nature spirits. He can see in the dark. His eyes may be amber gold, bright blue or startling green, and have slit pupils. Soundlessly he slips through the corn rows or wheat field. As both a tomcat and harvest spirit he's also linked to fertility.
A person might feel someone watching, and hairs on the back of the neck prickle. Katzenmann is a patient observer and a stealthy hunter. He's usually solitary. If not, he's in the company of wild or domestic cats. He lives in the twilight zone between cats and humans.
Although he shares some of their traits he's unrelated to cat spirits such as Murrkater and Weather Cats. Despite human characteristics he doesn't belong to the mortal world; nor does he fit in the company of demons. Like the Cat itself, he's independent.
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Katzenmann is mystical, relating to the moon and night magic. He knows arcane secrets. He attunes to the lunar cycles. He may have the powerful hind legs of a Cat, enabling him to leap a great distance, and torso of a man, or the head of a cat and body of a man.
In feline form he often appears as a black cat. He keeps his fingernails sharp. It's not uncommon for Katzenmann to crouch on a fence and leap on a passerby. He moves too fast to be seen but leaves red scratches on a person's flesh.
He is the Wild Spirit. Like the cat he's a hunter and predator. He's especially powerful in the cusp times of dawn and dusk, and full moon nights. Like some other hybrid figures such as Bockmann, Katzenmann appears in male form. He's less aggressive than the goat man and often more felt than seen.
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Despite his secretive nature and flash attacks, Katzenmann is tolerated in the fields because he and by extension his cat spirits catch or frighten away mice and grain-eating birds, who can damage the crops. He doesn't stay in one field but roams through many, for the boundaries of humans mean nothing to him.
Like Murrkater he could scratch or bite children and other humans. Beware of infection as his claws carry toxins. He can be the size of a man or in feline form the size of a cat. As a feline he might join the farm cats at milking time, hoping for fresh warm milk. In springtime the black tomcat could come around looking for love.
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Due to his fondness for fresh milk it's a good idea to leave a dish out for him between the rows of corn. Wild though he is, the Cat has a domestic connection and with this offering he looks favorably upon the household and brings feline protective magic to the fields.
Sometimes he disappears for days, keeping his own eldritch agenda. As a spirit he doesn't need to eat, but his innate qualities are those of a hunter. His taste for blood may be quelled in the mortal world as he takes the form of a cat to catch mice and small field and barn animals. He's strong for his cat-size and might attack rabbits.
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Although he bites or scratches children in the fields he doesn't steal them. He just doesn't like them. The same goes for anyone intruding on his forays in the crops or surrounding forest. If caught napping he might be susceptible to magic spells but the chances of finding him are slim due to his keen senses.
Despite his fierce defensive nature, Katzemann tends to be wary and lurk in the background. If confronted he attacks to confuse one's senses before he bounds away. Sometimes he screams in the night, a sound to send shivers through the bravest man, for his voice comes from the spirit world.
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Domestic and wild cats are related to mountain lions who don't roar but have a bloodcurdling shriek. It's nonetheless the sign of a fertile crop and good harvest as his aura can attract benevolent nature entities and frighten unwelcome ones, such as those imps who eat the cabbage.
Driving out this elusive creature is difficult because he can't be caught by normal means and easily moves through spirit dimensions. A witch, shaman or Geisterfinder (spirit finder) might be needed.
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Shamans and witches can have a strong empathy with cats and cat entities, and understand the supernatural language of Katzenmann. A Geisterfinder can locate a spirit and ostensibly drive it out. These services could come with varying fees, from silver to a portion of the harvest.
To protect against his sneak attacks in the fields, Katzenmann can be repelled with charms, bracelets or garlands of dried citrus fruits or lavender. He dislikes both these scents and quickly leaves the scene.
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