Salem the Cat: Familiar versus Warlock
We all know him as the sleek, all black cat familiar in the hit Netflix show Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Or as the sarcastic and sassy warlock who was sentenced to spend a hundred years in the form of a cat in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. But how much do you really know about Salem? Today we will be taking a deep dive into this particular character, be it witch or familiar.
The Origin of Salem the Cat
While one could always count on Salem being right by Sabrina Spellman's side, he hasn't always been black. At first, this cat, beloved by so many, started out as an orange-colored. Not just that, he also wasn't capable of speech. This was evident all throughout the very first Sabrina the Teen-age Witch comic series and lasted all the way until the live-action tv show in the 90s. Only then, he was reinvented to fall more in line with what he was portrayed as in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Unlike his all black counterpart in that series, he was known as a tuxedo cat and has been portrayed as such most commonly. This wasn't the only thing they ended up changing about the character however.
Salem Saberhagen
Along with the change in appearance, came the change in backstory. No longer just a familiar, Salem the Cat was now known as Salem Saberhagen. A warlock who ended up being turned into a cat for his attempts to take over the world and was placed in the care of Hilda Spellman. This due to her involvement in his rather ambitious plans as a part of the refreshments committee. As a cat, Salem has no access to magic and often times relies on Sabrina to help him out wherever necessary.
This doesn't always go as planned and while he is known to want the best for the teenager, his arrogance, sarcasm and greed often shine through. As does his wit, sassy nature and love for puns and Lizard Flakes. As one would expect from a cat, Salem absolutely loves gossip. Whether he finds it on the internet or blatantly breaches Sabrina's privacy by reading her diary, it doesn't really matter. You can trust this feline to know it all.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
With the arrival of the all new show, Salem once more underwent a change. One that gave way for another, previously neglected character to take the center stage. One that had been overshadowed and whose role had primarily been taken by Salem in older media, namely Sabrina's cousin, Ambrose Spellman.
Salem the cat, now an actual cat or rather, Sabrina's familiar is a rather mysterious appearance in the tv show. We know nothing about his past, besides that as a familiar, he must've once been a goblin like all others who form a contract with their witches. He's not capable of human speech, but does possess the ability of telepathically communicating with Sabrina and can sense when she's in danger or needs his help. This is how he ended up saving her life on multiple occasions, the best known example when he protected her from the Weird Sisters.
Abilities of Salem the Cat
Of course, as a familiar, Salem possesses a wide variety of different abilities. These creatures are particularly useful for their masters and will protect them, even if their own lives are at stake. Besides his ability to telepathically communicate with Sabrina, Salem also possesses the ability to shapeshift. His original shape ---that of a goblin--- is rather dark and grim. With long limbs and a tail, it makes sense he opts for a pet like appearance to be capable of being around his master more. In his original form, he can also squeeze through just about any opening in an effort to help Sabrina.
As a familiar, Salem the Cat possesses super strength and super speed. Making him a strong opponent in a physical fight, making absolutely certain he can protect his witch at all times. Like any familiar, he is tied to his witch, which means that if she were to die, he would pass away too.