Tradition / Region: Belarusian Mythology
Alternative names: Kashkalachenya, Kotalak (Polish)
Category: Cat

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The Myth

The Koshkalachen is a werecat from Belarusian folklore, a shapeshifting creature that takes the form of a cat. According to Belarusian tradition, werewolves could appear not only as wolves but also as toads, frogs, and cats.

One tale tells of a wandering werecat searching for food. Passing a small house, it saw a cat chasing mice and transformed into a magpie to perch on the roof unnoticed. The cat refused to let the stranger approach, so the werecat waited until sunset. As darkness fell, the household cat transformed into a beautiful maiden, revealing that she too was a werecat.

Captivated by her beauty, the werecat leapt from the roof and transformed into a man. The two spent the evening playing and talking together. At midnight, however, an owl cried out from the roof in a child’s voice. The forest stirred, streams roared, the girls transformed into mermaids and fled into the water, while the maiden turned back into a cat and ran inside the house. The male werecat likewise reverted to his feline form.

Unlike ordinary werewolves, the Koshkalachen is almost always found in the shape of a cat and is only believed to return to human form at night.

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Sources

“Кошкалачень (Koshkalacheń).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). Accessed July 28, 2026. https://www.bestiary.us/koshkalachen

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