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    What is the link between the teachings of the Catholic Church concerning witchcraft in the Middle Ages, and the progress of the plague (Black Death)?

    Question #53161. Asked by potterguy. (Dec 15 04 5:06 PM)


    kaylofgorons

    		I've heard a theory it had to do with cats. Cats were considered witches familiars, and so cats were routinely killed and looked down upon (still are). Without the natural predator of cats, the rats multiplied. Rats where the prime breeding ground for flees that spread the plague.

    Now if only they had allowed the cat population to fluctuate naturally, the rat population would have stayed down. The book I read even mentioned "perhaps he whose eye is on the sparrow watches the cat as well" because the author firmly believed cats could have at least held back some of the plague.

    Dec 15 04, 6:05 PM
    potterguy

    		Got it, Kayl of Gorens! Charles Pellegrino, in _Ghosts of Vesuvius_ makes pretty much the same argument. Apparently the RC Church sanctioned the wholesale slaughter of cats in Europe, up until sometime in the 16th century, so that the cat population was dramatically reduced, leading to a huge increase in the rat population. Et voila!

    Dec 15 04, 7:27 PM
    philsgirl

    		Mountain lions won't come back if people don't stop doing this
    http:/www.ngpc.state.ne.us/news/linknews.asp?NewsID=2219

    Dec 15 04, 11:16 PM
    philsgirl

    		There was a mountain lion in South Sioux City and the park rangers killed it. Now can we start a campaign?
    What's a colam?

    Dec 15 04, 11:52 PM
    philsgirl

    		Colam is cool, may I use it?
    I think Toledo is somewhere in between us.
    And your sign should be small enough to get on the plane. (Although, considering they lost a test bomb, your sign may be huge and still get by.)

    Dec 16 04, 12:05 AM
    mibmob

    		http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15674a.htm would suggest that there was none. The real hard line on witchcraft came with the publication of the Malleus Maleficarum in 1486 and Innocent VIII bull a couple of years previously - toolate for the Black Death. Up until that time the Church seems to have been more occupied by burning Cathars than old ladies.

    Dec 16 04, 12:03 PM
    philsgirl

    		Thanks, kaylo, cheers.

    Dec 16 04, 10:55 PM
    philsgirl

    		mibby, this wasn't my question, originally.

    Dec 17 04, 10:52 AM
    philsgirl

    		It's okay, mibby. 'Tis the season.

    Dec 17 04, 4:49 PM

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