Wooden WitchThere are many stories and tales surrounding witches. Along with magic and broomsticks, black cats are another common entity associated with witches. This dates back to the 15th century when Puritan Christian's believed that witches could turn into a black cat to avoid punishment or death. Between 1500 and 1660 it is estimated that around 80,000 died either by punishment or execution. The last time someone was convicted of witchcraft was in 1944.