A black cat sits upright in three-quarter view, ears alert and tail curled in a loose S, in front of an oversized crescent moon. Nearby stands a small, crooked wooden house partly veiled by hanging foliage, with a cluster of round orange pumpkins at its base, while two silhouetted bats fly to the right.

An ornate scrollwork border of oak leaves, acorns and small orange florals on a black ground frames the lighter inner scene. Everything is rendered as crewelwork-style embroidery, with directional thread strokes in the fur, the moon and every leaf, giving a raised, fibrous, tapestry-like surface. The effect is gently eerie rather than frightening.