The Wampus cat is a cat-like creature in American folklore that varies widely in appearance, ranging from frightful to comical, depending on region.
Early references, by the American Dialect Society, noted the Wampus cat as "a creature heard whining about camps at night," "a spiritual green-eyed cat, having occult powers," or "an undefined imaginary animal." [1] Folklorist Vance Randolph described the Wampus cat as "a kind of amphibious panther which leaps into the water and swims like a colossal mink." [2] The Wampus cat was mentioned in newspaper accounts of the 1930s in the Piedmont of North Carolina. The creature was accused of killing livestock. [3]
The Wampus cat is the mascot of the following:
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