You may have heard of the Dark Feminine archetype or the Femme Fatale, but there is a lesser known archetype that hit the internet the past few years that I would like to discuss. The black cat archetype popped up on social media a few years ago and it certainly caught my attention as it did many others. Lets explore it;
black cat energy is the embodiment of mystery, independence, and quiet confidence. It’s alluring without trying, playful yet selective, and unbothered by outside opinions. Like the black cat itself, this energy moves with grace, observes before acting, and protects its own fiercely—radiating an aura that is equal parts mystical, elegant, and untamed.
Energies of the Black Cat Archetype:
These are the personality traits, values, and emotional states you may experience when embracing the black cat energy.
- Confidence – you believe in yourself and abilities and don’t need external validation. You aren’t desperate for others’ attention. You are who you are and you love yourself for it.
- Independence – you are free from the effects of other’s control and influence. You don’t need anyone’s approval or validation to make you feel happy or fulfilled. You don’t give your power/energy away to those undeserving of it.
- Authentic & Unapologetic– you are true to who you are and don’t change because someone wants you to or doesn’t like something about you. You don’t need anyone’s permission to be yourself.
- Self Sustaining (a.k.a. Detachment) – you are unaffected by others’ decisions and choices in life because you are able to provide for yourself and meet your own needs (spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, etc.) without relying on others. Your happiness is not determined by others but by yourself.
- Mysterious & Intuitive – you are illusive and never overshare which makes people interested in learning more or spending more time around you. You listen to your subconscious and go with your gut despite the fact that there isn’t any conscious reasoning behind it. You know all answers and solutions will come with time.
- Self Respect (a.k.a. Boundary Setting) – you know what you deserve and what you don’t. If someone treats you in a way that is not to your standards, you assert yourself and enforce the consequences. You are protective of yourself and loved ones if something threatens them or you.
- Mindful and Grateful – you focus on the here and now rather than what could have been or what could be. You are grateful for the little things and take time to embrace life. You pay attention to your senses – indulging in pleasurable textures, sounds and more.
- Loyal and Affectionate with Trusted People – you are committed to those in your life that have proven themselves worthy of your love. You are affectionate and compassionate when the time is right, with the people you trust and always on your terms.
Black Cat Energy vs. The Dark Feminine Archetype
I do feel like there is a difference between black cat energy and The Dark Feminine Archetype however, I feel I will save this topic for another time but if you are interested, please let me know as I have already prepared a bit of information on the similarities and differences.
Encouraging this energy in your life
There are many ways you can encourage this energy to be more active in your life, here are a few;
- Setting boundaries in your social life and setting up wards in the spiritual realm.
- Dress in all black, wear symbols of the cat and/or ask the black cat energy to show you her/their ways and lessons.
- Journeying, pathworking or meditating with the black cat archetype/energy to get to know it better.
- Embrace the night life and Witching Hour – working in the dark and at night can help invoke the mysterious and independent energy that is present in the black cat.
- The lighting of a cat figure candle can be used as an offering to the black cat energy to show your commitment to learning more about this archetype. Black cat candles can also be used to invoke or call upon the archetype or associated deity to be present in your workings or in your everyday life. I do happen to have a black cat figure candle in my shop at the time of writing this but I only have a couple so I am not sure how long they will last – grab them before they are gone!
This archetype or type of energy is incredibly powerful and can be embraced by someone of any ancestry, tradition or orientation. If you feel powerless in your daily life and want to regain strength and confidence – the black cat is an excellent ally.
I find this archetype especially interesting as there are several feline deities across world mythology that present powerful energies and laws of nature.
For instance, Bastet or Bast in Kemetism was worshipped as a deity with a heavy association with cats. Certain groups of people believed cats to be part deity or not fully terrestrial, with many of them seeing cats as the physical embodiment of Bastet, especially during ceremonies. Bastet was the goddess of many things throughout history, however, the main theme of her powers that never really left her was her fierce protection over her people – whether that was her father Ra or the homes of her devotees – she was always seen as a protective energy.
I have also always found the personality of black cats to fit other goddesses before I even knew it was an archetype. Artemis from Greece and Diana from Rome have always felt very ‘black cat’ to me as they are powerful and majestic but best admired from a distance for she is a huntress who has no issue showing her ‘claws’ when disrespected.
In Conclusion
By invoking the black cat archetype you are calling upon a collective of many powerful energies – this practice of embodying the black cat energy can be an offering to get closer with a spirit of this archetype or it can be an introspective practice to give you a new perspective to explore in your shadow work (let me know if you would be interested in a blog post about this).
To purchase a black cat figure candle from my etsy shop please check here: TheMundaneMadeMagical Shop