The Demon Cat of Capitol Hill

The best known Capitol ghost story is that of the Demon Cat. Legend has it that shortly before a national crisis, the phantom feline lurks about with glowing eyes, hissing and chasing the guards. Every time the cat appears, it is said to grow larger and more menacing. It may sound silly, but many Capitol employees swear its true. And, supposedly, Capitol police have shot at the cat, only to realize they were alone in an empty hallway.

In the Old Senate Rotunda, a cats prints can be seen in the floor, evidence, some say, of the Demon Cat. The story, and possibly the paw prints, likely have their roots in the days when cats policed the mouse and rat population, roaming the Capitols passages among shadows thrown by the flickering lanterns.