Wampus Cat Origins

The wampus cat is an intriguing cryptid feline found in North American folklore particularly within the Appalachian Mountains and surrounding regions. It has multiple origin stories and serves as a unique mascot to a very small number of educational institutes such as Conway High in Arkansas. It may have even been involved in a secret government project gone awry in Alabama during World War II.

What is a wampus cat? Well, it really depends on where you look. But in a general sense it is an unknown feline often described as being similar in size to a mountain lion or cougar. It is said to be able to drive people insane as well as serve as a messenger of death. It is believed that if you hear its scream then in three days there will be someone in your life will die. The wampus cat is said to have the ability to walk upon its hind legs like a person. Some descriptions such as the one given by Conway High state that the wampus cat has six legs four to run with and two to fight with all its might!

My favorite origin story of the wampus cat and my personal favorite come from the traditional folklore of the Cherokee. The legend goes that once an evil demon known as Ew’ah which was the spirit of madness was tormenting a village. Ew’ah was a great concern as could make people go mad and insane by no more than looking at them. Even worse Ew’ah gained its power by feeding on the nightmares of children. When the village elders and shaman met to decide what to do concerning Ew’ah they decided it was too great a risk to send all their Braves to fight this demon. Instead, they chose a single warrior to go and combat Ew’ah. The warrior chosen was Standing Beer or Great Fellow depending on the source. This warrior was said to have been everything a Cherokee Brave was supposed to be. He was the strongest, fastest, smartest, and cleverest of all the Braves. After several weeks of being gone this warrior returned to the village scratching at his eyes. Instantly, everyone knew that he had been unsuccessful in his quest. Due to his inherent madness, he was essentially considered dead although with time he was able to help perform small task with the widows and young girls of the village. After, witnessing what her husband had become Running Deer went to the village shaman to request her revenge on Ew’ah. The shaman equipped her with a booger mask, the head of a bobcat and some black tar to hide her human smell from Ew’ah. A few days into tracking the demon Running Deer came across her husband’s armor along a creek bed surrounded by strange footprints. As she followed the footprints, she was able to sneak up on Ew’ah. She presented the bobcat head to the demon as he turned to look at her. At this point, the demon’s magic worked but not as intended. Instead of driving Running Deer mad Ew’ah had sent itself into madness and fell into a pool of water. She then returned to her village where she was seen as a hero. It is said that she now inhabits the spirit of the bobcat protecting her village from Ew’ah and any other potential threats.

Another story states that the wampus cat is a Cherokee woman who was fused with cougar hides after she hid beneath them to spy on her husband and other men of the tribe during a sacred hunting trip. This woman was then banished from the tribe and cursed to never live among humans again. While this woman was a Cherokee it is unclear if this story is actually from Cherokee folklore or just a story that is told about the Cherokee. Some even consider this cursed woman to be the demon Ew’ah. Some people even consider the wampus cat to be a witch who is a shapeshifter. At night, this witch will take the form of a couagar or mountain lion to steal livestock and poultry for her next days meals.

An interesting theory on the wampus cat comes from World War II. Supposedly at a facility in Alabama the United States government wanted to create a new creature that could be used to deliver messages across the battlefield with great speed. To do so they began creating a new hybrid species in which grey wolves and mountain lions were interbred with each other. While successful in the breeding process these hybrid creatures all escaped and were never recovered.

To hear more about the wampus cat tune in to Paranormal Puffin's episode regarding the wampus cat! This episode will be available on Friday April 16th!