The Black Cat of Kidwelly

1The simplest theory of the town’s mascot is that it is based around the spelling on the town’s name. Like all places, over time Kidwelly had a range of different names, presumably because most people in the 17th Century could not read or write, let alone spell. Ancient recordings of the town’s name include Cadwely, Catwelli, Kadewly, Keddewelly, Kadwelve and Kedwelle. The origins of Kidwelly’s black cat might have come from the spelling, “Catwelli”.

2Others believe that the town was named after a gentleman called Cattas, who legend says used to sleep in an oak tree in the area. This one sounds a little too much like a bad Christmas cracker joke; “Why did Cattas become the Kidwelly’s cat mascot? - Cattas stuck in a tree”. We can already hear the radio silence… moving on!

Kidwelly is also home to river otters. Some locals believe that the otter was mistaken for a cat, which is how the cat became the town mascot! Actually, many people still believe that the otter is the town mascot. There is even an otter carved memorial in St Mary’s Churchyard. Here at Burns, we’re still Team Cat.

There are a few theories on why Kidwelly’s mascot is the black cat, but this one is our favourite. After the Great Plague during the 17th Century, it had wiped out the population. People began to return to the first and only living thing that welcomed them; a little black cat. The cat became a symbol of hope and deliverance, and was honoured by becoming the town’s mascot.

Despite many ideologies of where the Black Cat of Kidwelly comes from, we may never know the truth behind the fantastic feline’s claim to fame. Interested to know what else lies in the Kidwelly shadows?

Paw on over to our blog post that digs deeper into the mysteries that lurk in the little ancient town’s history.