The zooform monster cat

Over at his Shuker Nature blog, Dr Karl Shuker looks at the terrifying story of London's demon, horned cat.

The demon ape of Essex

In the case of some zooform phenomena, it seems that we are dealing with negative energy as a conjurer of monsters. For instance, the county of Essex has several cases of weird manifestations presenting themselves, but they are forms which clearly are not of some biological or zoological order. At Wallasea Island there was once a place called the Devil’s House which sat on the bleak marshlands flanking the River Crouch. The house, was more for a farm-like abode and took its sinister name from its owner, a chap named Daville, although author Eric Maple notes that’, according to the old records it was known as Demon’s Tenement as far back as the time of Charles II.’




At first the building seemed like many a haunted house in that local folk would refuse to stay in it because of the strange atmospheres and sudden drops in temperature. On other occasions weird sounds were heard, such as the flapping of wings and an overwhelming sense of dread would follow. Such a fear seemed justified when a sergeant, serving in the First World War decided to put the legends to bed and stayed the night in the building. The following morning the sergeant was found in such a terrible state, his pale complexion and refusal to speak had locals worried. Another man claimed that he had heard to sound of wings flapping suggesting some giant yet unseen bird was soaring above but the ghostly reputation of the place took a knock when one evening it was reported that a hideous spectre with horns and a long tail was explained by a stray bullock which had sought shelter in the hayloft after being pursued by a dog. However, during one particular harvest a local labourer experienced a terrible creature whilst working in one of the barns. He had heard his name being called on several occasions and the sudden drop in temperature told him that something wasn’t right. Although spooked, the man continued his work when suddenly he felt as though he was possessed and had a sudden urge to commit suicide. The labourer found a piece of old rope, fastened it around his neck as a noose and climbed a ladder to tie the rope around a beam. A voice rasped, “Do it, do it” in his ear but then something even more bizarre happened. Looking upward the man saw a terrible ape-like creature swinging from the timbers. The phantom ape had bright yellow eyes that glowed in the gloom. It appeared rather slim in form and was completely black in colour. This hideous apparition seemed to jolt him out of his suicidal trance and scrambled down the ladder and fled the barn.



Locals believed the ghastly experiences that had taken place in the building were the product of Devil worship which had taken place years before. Such negative energy, depending on the individual who experiences it, seems to have the ability to prey on the human psyche and cast out weird, absurd holographic-type entities which feed on fear. Such devils can take on many forms, either as unseen poltergeists which hurl items around the place or attack their victims, to nefarious familiars ranging from disfigured demonic cats, headless black dogs, and goodness knows what else.