There have been documented sightings of a large black feline ghost, called DC for Demon Cat that haunts the chambers of Congress.
Cats and the Capitol Building, a Brief History
Washington DC has its share of haunted buildings including the White House and the US Capitol Building.
According to Daniel Cohen, Phantom Animals (A Minstrel Book, 1991), the building of the Capitol was begun in 1763. Congress moved in when it was partially built about seven years later. There are tiers of basements and sub-basements connected by tunnels. It is easy for experienced people to get lost in the building.
The catafalque, a raised platform where caskets of those who are given state funerals, is stored in the basement area which is said to be the home of DC.
In the 1800s, the Capitol Building was infested with rats, so cats were brought in to control the rodents. They did their job well. Today, cats are no longer used to control the rodent population. The only cat that remains is the phantom, DC.
Encounters with DC
Encounters with the black phantom feline have been reported for years by those who guard the halls at night. Demon Cat appears only at night and only when the person who sights it is alone. At times, the experience was only the sighting of the cat. Other times, the experience was scary.
One guard who saw it wants to remain anonymous. It happened on a January night in the 1970s. As he was walking through a passage way, he saw the black cat approach. The phantom appeared to get larger as it walked toward him. Its eyes had a reddish glow. The guard was afraid to move. Finally, the phantom reached the size of a tiger and its meowings changed to roars. It crouched and sprang and all the guard could do was to pray and close his eyes. Nothing happened. When the guard opened his eyes, the cat had vanished.
He told only a few trusted friends about the incident because he was afraid that people would think he was insane or that he had been under the influence while working, either of which he feared would cost him his job.
Some of those who have seen the cat have fled from it in terror. Others reportedly have fainted. When the witnesses to the phantom regained their composure and tried to show others what they saw, the cat had vanished, leaving no trace.
It has frequently been sighted before a change in the administration. Although no detailed records have been kept of the sightings, the appearance of Demon Cat is believed is a bad omen because it is seen most often seen before great tragic events. It was seen before the crash of 1929 which led to the Great Depression, before JFK’s assassination and other national tragedies.
