Devil Spawns and the Fear of the Unknown

Nigerians are not animal lovers. I would go on a limb to say we just tolerate animals. Many people would be quick to say, “Oh but a lot of Nigerians have dogs they love.”

This is true.

However, dogs are furry moneybags, especially if they are females and of good pedigree. In as much as we (barely) tolerate animals, cats have to be the most disadvantaged of the lot.

The unbearable dislike of cats is almost a culture in Nigeria and is common among the old and young alike.

Cats are evil, they say. Can’t you see how its eyes are glowing?

Cats are devil spawns and mediums for malevolent beings.

Cats spit at you and blind you.

Cats are witches…or like we say in Nigeria, winches.

Hearing a cat meow (and at night to boot) is all it takes to have a Nigerian mother reaching for her bible and donning her armor of anointing oil as she prepares for spiritual warfare. Sherimamas, rebosatabostas, and other dialects of heavenly tongues punctuate the air as they bind any spirit hidden under the cat’s mesmerizing gaze. A cat is never just a cat or an ordinary animal. There is always something sinister to be unearthed. It is not uncommon to be walking the road in the early hours of the morning and see cat roadkill. People think little of it. The way they see it, they have one less witch to deal with.

We do not fear the unknown. We fear what we think we know about the unknown

Teal Swan

The first time my younger brother casually mentioned he wanted to get a cat, he was met with so much resistance. On the lower end of the spectrum were comments on how cats were selfish, attention-seeking, and disease-ridden. On the higher end of the spectrum were comments reiterating the “spiritual implications” of having a cat. Finally, he threw caution to the wind and bought a pair. We named them Roman and Nikita.

I never cared much for animals as a child or an adult. Sure, they were cute and…