Natural History: A Desicated or Mummified Cat, circa 18th-19th century, a full mount desicated or mummified cat, in recumbent position, length 53cm, originally found within the walls behind a bricked up bread oven, found by Jack Gray, in Stanhope, Co Durham. In the British Isles, as well as in Northern Europe and North America, the dried or mummified bodies of cats are frequently found concealed within structures and are believed to have been placed there to bring good luck or to protect the building and its occupants from harm. The North American instances are strongly associated with European households and are most often found in buildings where shoes and witch bottles are also concealed. Sometimes when the animals are discovered, as in the case of a mummified cat and kittens, it might be assumed that the animal was just accidentally there and got stuck. However, there are times when the animals are found in locations that it would have been impossible for them to have gotten into accidentally such as being encased in a brick cavity.