Belfast Castle was built in 1870 for the third Marquess of Donegall on the slopes of Cave Hill. The legend holds that its occupants will enjoy good luck only as long as a white cat lives on the premises. The tradition is said to have begun when a friendly cat befriended the castle's gardeners.
Successive owners and managers have worked the story into the building. More than thirty cat figures are said to appear in the stonework, plasterwork, furniture and stained glass, and the formal terraced gardens contain a Cat Garden with nine cat representations in mosaic, painting, sculpture and furniture.
There is no early written source for the belief, so it may be quite recent. Visitor guides present it as folklore, and that is how it is treated here, with caution.
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