It’s a rule we learn over and over again in magical TV and film: If you want to practice magic, eventually, you’re probably going to need a special pet to help out—and more than likely, it’ll be a black cat.
According to European folklore, witches keep black cats as “familiars”—companion animals from which they draw power. European witch trials during the 15th to 17th centuries saw the masses searching suspected witches’ bodies for the teats they supposedly used to suckle their animal counterparts. In Greek mythology, Hecate—the goddess of witchcraft and magic—kept a black cat as her familiar.
As bad as black cats’ reputations might be in certain areas, they might hold up better depending where you look. According to Welsh folklore, midnight-colored felines can bring good luck and even help predict the weather. And in TV and film, they’ve become some of our favorite furry friends. But which one was the best? Here, for your perusal, is a list of our favorites, ranked worst to best.
Crookshanks from Harry Potter
I’ll start this off with a promise: Crookshanks is the only non-black cat you’ll see on this list, and perhaps appropriately given his color, he also takes last place.
Hermione first adopted Crookshanks when she found out no one else had wanted him for years, and as far as her friends were concerned that was for good reason: Crookshanks wasn’t the nicest critter at Hogwarts, and he especially loved chasing around Ron’s beloved, rat, Scabbers. Hermione was vindicated, however, when it turned out that Scabbers was actually the traiterous Peter Pettigrew in disguise—which vindicated Crookshanks’ judgment.
But here’s the thing: Crookshanks was still kind of a know-it-all, and for that reason, he’s still gotta finish last.
Luna from Sailor Moon
Luna might not spend her time hanging around with witches, but she’s got an even more important role advising Sailor Moon and the other Sailor Guardians throughout the series. Sure, she’s sassy as hell, but you know what? The best friends are the ones that tell it like it is—and those eye-rolly facial expressions? Top notch.
Jiji from Kiki’s Delivery Service
Naturally, Studio Ghibli couldn’t send its 13-year-old witch off to make her way alone in a new city without a top-notch familiar. Enter, Jiji—her best friend who rides on her broomstick, adjusts her radio, and keeps her company even in her lowest moments.
Jiji can get distracted from time to time—especially when he sees a very pretty cat wandering outside—but most of the time, he’s there for every adventure. In fact, he’s so devoted to Kiki that he poses as a stuffed cat and sits terrified in a room with a sleeping dog while his caretaker rushes to the forest to recover the toy she’d lost during one of her deliveries. If that’s not dedication, I don’t know what is.
Salem Saberhagen from Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Talking black cats tend to be pretty sarcastic—see, Luna—but none of them hold a whisker to Salem, the most sardonic feline of them all.
Voice actor Nick Bakay made Salem more than just a sidekick; he was a full-fledged protagonist, and he would not let you forget it. A 500-year-old witch confined to a cat’s body for 100 years as punishment for trying to take over the world, Salem’s ego is about as robust as you’d expect. He’s got costumes, tricks, and sordid anecdotes galore—like the time he accidentally erased an entire holiday—but most importantly, he knew how to deliver a good burn. (Especially about dogs.)
Thackery Binx from Hocus Pocus
Another human-trapped-in-a-cat character, Thackery Binx is one of the most inspiring feline protagonists of them all: He was once a little boy in colonial Salem, but Winnie Sanderson turned him into a cat for trying to save his sister from her and her sisters. Unlike some of his contemporaries, Binx is both brave and devoted—and in the end, he’s rewarded (albeit 300 years later) with his humanity.
Isis from Star Trek
I know what you’re thinking: Really? This one? Why?
The answer is simple: While all of the cats on this list are commendable, only one of them has ever worked to deter the use of orbital nuclear weapons.
Isis is the shape-shifting cat who accompanied Gary Seven in the Season 2 episode “Assignment: Earth.” Isis might not hang around long on the show, but her impact is undeniable: She and her human counterpart, Gary Seven, detonate a nuclear rocket 104 miles outside the earth’s atmosphere, offering a formidable (nonlethal) demonstration to prevent the start of a third world war. Not too shabby for a little black cat!
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