Honestly, if you grew up in the 90s, you didn't watch Sabrina the Teenage Witch for the magic. You didn't even really watch it for the Harvey and Sabrina drama. You watched it for a failing animatronic cat with a god complex.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch Salem wasn't just a pet; he was a mood, a meme before memes existed, and arguably the hardest-working actor on the ABC TGIF lineup. Most people remember him as the snarky black cat who wanted to take over the world, but there's a lot more to Salem Saberhagen than just lizard flakes and witty one-liners. He’s a character with a history that spans over 60 years of comic books, two very different live-action TV universes, and a behind-the-scenes production story that is surprisingly chaotic.
The Warlock Behind the Fur
We all know the basics: Salem was a warlock sentenced to 100 years as a cat by the Witches' Council. His crime? Trying to take over the world. It’s a classic "villain to domestic housecat" pipeline. But if you look at the actual lore, Salem’s backstory is weirdly deep.
In the 1996 sitcom, he’s roughly 500 years old. He wasn't just some random guy with a wand; he was a leader. He had a whole cabinet of followers (including a guy named Newt who also got turned into a pet). The funniest part about Salem’s "punishment" is that he’s forced to live with the Spellmans, but he’s basically treated like a freeloading uncle who happens to require a litter box.
You’ve gotta love the commitment to the bit. Even as a flightless, 12-pound feline, Salem never actually gave up on his dreams of global domination. He just pivoted to smaller victories, like trying to win a local dog show or scamming Sabrina into a pyramid scheme. He represents that very human—well, warlock—desire to be important while being stuck in a life that is fundamentally ridiculous.
The Puppet, The Legend, The Nick Bakay
If you close your eyes and think of Salem, you hear that specific, raspy, deadpan voice. That’s Nick Bakay.
Bakay wasn’t just the voice; he was a writer for the show. This is why Salem’s dialogue always felt a bit sharper than everyone else’s. He was literally writing his own best lines. Bakay would often ad-lib on set, especially when the "real" cats decided to stop acting and start being, you know, cats.
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Speaking of the cats, filming Salem was a nightmare. They used a rotating cast of about seven real American Shorthair cats, each with a specific "talent." One was the "holder" (it liked being picked up), one was the "runner," and another was the "attacker."
But the real star—and the source of many childhood nightmares—was the animatronic puppet.
The Animatronic Struggle
Let’s be real: that puppet looked rough. It was made of foam rubber and rabbit fur, and it required three different puppeteers to operate.
- One person for the mouth.
- One for the ears and eyes.
- One person (usually hiding under a table) just to move the body.
Because the technology in the late 90s was... limited, the puppet often looked like it was having a minor glitch. Its mouth didn't always match the words, and its stare was a little too "taxidermy." But somehow, that jankiness added to the charm. It made Salem feel more like a grumpy old man in a cheap suit than a literal animal. Fun fact: that same animatronic technology was actually used for Thackery Binx in Hocus Pocus (1993) before it moved over to Sabrina's house.
The Great 2018 Rebrand: Chilling Adventures of Salem
When Netflix announced Chilling Adventures of Sabrina in 2018, fans were hyped. Then they found out Salem didn't talk.
People were genuinely upset. How can you have Salem without the sass? But the showrunners went for a more traditional "familiar" approach. In this version, Salem is a goblin-esque spirit who takes the form of a cat to protect Sabrina. He’s more of a silent guardian—deadly, mysterious, and actually scary when he needs to be.
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The biggest hurdle for the 2018 version? Kiernan Shipka (Sabrina) is deathly allergic to cats.
Imagine being the lead of a show where your iconic sidekick is a cat, and you can't get within five feet of him without breaking out in hives. This is why, if you go back and rewatch the Netflix series, you’ll notice Sabrina rarely actually touches or holds Salem. Most of their "scenes" together are done with clever camera angles or a stuffed stand-in. It’s a far cry from the 90s sitcom where Melissa Joan Hart was constantly lugging a puppet around.
Why Salem Saberhagen Still Matters
Why are we still talking about a talking cat from a show that ended over 20 years ago? Basically, because Salem is the patron saint of the "unfiltered."
He was the first character many of us saw who was allowed to be selfish, lazy, and cynical, yet still be a "good guy." He didn't have a moral compass; he had a hunger for snacks and power. In a sea of squeaky-clean 90s protagonists, Salem was the one telling us it was okay to stay in bed and cry over a bowl of cereal.
He also bridged the gap between kids' TV and adult humor. Parents actually liked Salem because his jokes were often aimed over the kids' heads—references to historical figures, failed marriages, and the crushing weight of being a 500-year-old warlock in a suburban kitchen.
What Most People Get Wrong
A common misconception is that Salem was always a black cat. If you go back to the original 1960s Archie Comics, he was actually an orange tabby! He also didn't talk back then. It wasn't until the 1996 show's massive success that the comics retconned him to match the black-furred, sharp-tongued version we love today.
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Actionable Tips for the Sabrina Super-Fan
If you’re looking to dive back into the world of Greendale, don't just stop at the TV shows. The "Young Salem" comic miniseries from 2009 is a fantastic deep dive into his life before the fur. It shows his actual rise to power and the mistakes that led to his feline fate.
Also, if you're a collector, keep an eye out for the original 1990s Salem toys. Unlike modern merch, the 90s stuff captured that weird, slightly-off look of the animatronic puppet that makes it a perfect piece of nostalgia.
Lastly, if you're introducing a younger generation to the show, start with the "Hilda and Zelda" episodes of the sitcom. The chemistry between the aunts and the cat is where the real writing shines. Salem might have been a prisoner in that house, but he definitely owned the room.
The next time you see a black cat with a bit of an attitude, just remember: it might not be a cat. It might just be a disgraced warlock waiting for his 100 years to be up.
To fully appreciate the evolution of the character, you should compare the "Panic on the 13th Floor" episode from the sitcom with Salem's first "true form" reveal in the Netflix series. The shift from comedy to horror perfectly illustrates why this character has survived for six decades. You can find both versions across major streaming platforms like Paramount+ and Netflix.