Werecat

A werecat (also written in a hyphenated form as were-cat) is a name coined in 1970s pop culture in analogy to "werewolf" for a feline therianthropic creature.

Etymology

Ailuranthropy comes from the Greek words ailouros meaning "cat", and anthropos, meaning "human" and refers to human/feline transformations, or to other beings that combine feline and human characteristics. Its root word is also used in ailurophobia, the most common term for a phobia of cats.

Ailuranthrope is a lesser-known phrase that refers to a feline therianthrope.

Depending on the story in question, the species involved can be a domestic cat, a tiger, a lion, a leopard, a lynx, or any other type, including some that are purely mythical felines.

Folklore

Weircats, later known as werecats. (Weircats, Perretti, 1763.)

Europe

European folklore usually depicts werecats who transform into domestic cats. Some European werecats became giant domestic cats or panthers. They are generally labelled witches, even though they may have no magical ability other than self-transformation. During the witch trials, all shapeshifters, including werewolves, were considered witches; whether they were male or female.