The Primordials

You know of them: the great sabertooth, the cave lion,and the earliest, prehistoric cats.  These powerful archetypes are  rare and the most difficult to commune with. The Primordials deal with life on an animal level: territory, dominance, and prey.  If this can be said of all cats, it is especially true to the uber-level here.

THE SABERTOOTH - There were perhaps as many as five different species of the Smilodon. Most of us have heard of smilodon fatalis and smilodon californicus. Smilodon populator stalked eastern South America between 1 million and 10, 000 years ago. A particularly ancient breed, smilodon gracilis, lived between 2.5 million and 500,000 years ago.  In 1981, a unique species was discoved in the limestone quarries of Alucha County, Florida: Xenosmilus hodsonae. Another dirk-toothed cat was Megantereon, a cat characterized by a prominent mandibular flange (saber groove)  and a jaguar-like body.  Scientist suspect that Megantereons preyed upon early hominids. All sabertooths doubtlessly inspired fear in early man.  There are no depictions of sabertooths in the caves and for good reason: the sabertooth was evil incarnate for our ancestors.  Fossil evidence tells us that humans were a favorite meal.  To face the inner sabertooth is to face your deepest, most primordial fear.  If you can do it and claim your inner sabertooth, you are strong and connected to the most concentrated form of savage energy.

THE CAVE LION - This big cat does appear in cave art so we have a clear idea of the appearance of the living animal.  Cave lions had short manes, faint stripes, and tufted tails.  They were the largest wild cats ever, measuring close to 12 feet long.  The closest living feline to compare size-wise is the liger, a lion-tiger hybrid. Our ancestors admired the cave lion's strength and skill as a hunter and sought to emulate the cave lion. Depictions of lion headed shamans wearing lion pelts as well as lion skulls found in caves suggest a strong shamanic function. While still dangerous, the cave lion was a more approachable aspect than the sabertooth. Next to man, cave lions were the most wide spread predator in the Pleistocene.

SMALLER SABERTOOTHED CATS - These cat ancestors had the sabertooth look but had shorter and broader canines.  They also had longer, more slender legs than the other machairodontinae. Some examples were Dinofelis and Homotherium. Think of an ocelot totem with an especially cranky disposition. They are also referred to as Scimitar Cats.

PROAILURUS - The first true cat, ancestor of the scimitar and sabertooth cats.  This is the first purely feline totem and the connection to all cats large and small. Early cats looked something like a Madagascan Fossa, a modern mammal related to the mongoose.

MIACIS - The most ancient of all, this weasel-like creature was the grandmother of cats, dogs, bears and other modern carnivores. This totem encompasses all Those-Who-Hunt.

The Purrs

They may be small, but never underestimate them.  Pound for pound, no other creature is as agile or strong. The domestic cat, has been our companion for thousands of years.  The most famous Egyptian goddess, Bast, has become the icon of all cat people.  There are many species of Purrs.  These comprise the largest groups. 

DOMESTIC CAT -   We have an amazing variety of breeds, body types, and colors but the mental image of a cat invariably takes the graceful shape of Bast as a cat.  For many of us, the cat is what makes a house home.  Their devotion is incredible and even unbelievable.  Cats seem to have the psychic ability to track their owners across country - even to a new home!  Cat totems and weres vary in temperment as much as true cats, yet most are devoted to home (or a base territory), have some psychic ability, prefer comfortable surroundings, and like good food and great sex.  They also like being adored.  They don't demand it necessarily...they expect it.  When happy in their surroundings, they radiant love and harmony and healing energy.  But when crossed...look out, you suddenly have a tiger!   Folklore worldwide places the domestic cat as the shifting choice for shamans and witches.

WILD CATS - Each continent has its own version of wild cat.  Most are about twice the size of a house cat or smaller.  Domestic cats came from a wild cat thousands of years ago, but the ones who stayed wild are unapproachable.  Wild cats are fierce, often with a core of frustrated rage, and don't like to be pinned down for anything.  They have their own agendas and won't commit to others.  Often brooding loners, they look upon kindness and interest suspiciously.  While they may be on the fringes of society, they seldom deign to join it. Wild cats will not grandstand or try to draw attention to themselves.  They truly prefer to be alone and have everyone else bugger off.  They don't need much, but will ferociously defend what is theirs. 

BOBCAT - may technically be a type of wildcat, but stands strong as an individual totem.  Bobcats have much more curiosity about what others are doing than other wildcats.  While they don't suffer idiots, they very much want to know what the idiots are up to.  Bobcats are listeners.  They like to take everything in, mull it over, and then use it to their own advantage.  You won't catch a bobcat gossiping, but chances are (s)he's heard it already.  Bobcats focus their energy on their own goals using what they observed from others.     

LYNX - The lynx is another ancient totem of the northern, forested climes.  Like the bobcat, the lynx are listeners.  Unlike the bobcat, they won't go out of their way to get information.  Also, the intelligence they gather isn't necessarily of our world.  Lynx possess a great store of occult knowledge which they acquire quite naturally.  They slink easily from the physical world into the Shadow World without any fuss about it.  Lynxes are used to ghosts, spirits, and elementals as a matter of course.  They could be deep in thought or maybe in communication with something Unseen.  Lynx are often taken into confidence for they can be trusted with secrets.

CARACAL - aka: The Desert Lynx.  Caracals are known for their incredible ability to leap up and take birds from the air.  Expect a caracal totem to also be able to do near impossible feats with grace and ease.  They can extract maximum results from very little.  Caracals tend to be deeply spiritual and attribute their uncanny talent to their own inner harmony and oneness with their world.

OCELOT - One of the more beautifully marked cats, an ocelot is agile mentally and physically.  Their nervous energy is often harnessed to the artistic or esoteric.  Ocelots like to pick and choose the best of whatever interest them to create their own masterpiece.  Their intellect is sometimes described as "frightening" and encompasses a wide range of topics and skills.  Ocelots are also keen hunters, always searching for the best prey (bargain) for the least expenditure of energy (cost).  They're far from stingy, but this frugal searching is part of the game.  Ocelots may not like team sports, but they enjoy competing with themselves and raising the bar on what they can accomplish. Ocelots in the wild often live in pairs, so expect an ocelot to be very loyal to his/her mate.

COUGAR - aka: catamount, puma, mountain lion.  This is the largest of the small, purring cats and reminded early settlers of African lions sans the mane. Cougars avoid the limelight, but are very efficient and adaptable.  They may be quiet, but they are confident and at ease in most situations.  Although they avoid obvious leadership roles, they are marvelous right hand cats.  When they do take charge, they often do it from behind-the-scenes. They excel at communicating co-operation within the ranks and inspiring good performance from everyone involved.