The Charm and Superstition of Black Cats

Hello, fellow readers, it is Aspen-Arts! It is the month of October, which means you will be seeing loads of pumpkins, witches, and zombie decorations. All common Halloween images. Another common Halloween image is of black cats, usually riding on witches’ broomsticks, prowling through pumpkin patches and graveyards, or just puffing up to screech at an unlucky Trick-or-Treater.

The image of black cats around Halloween has been with us for years, yet there is also a history to this. A history filled with superstition and probably tears for these little guys.

Cats have been part of folklore and mythology since the beginning of time. Most commonly, the Egyptians viewed them as sacred animals, associated with the cat-headed goddess, Bastet. In Irish mythology, magical cats were the symbol of fearsome warriors, while the Japanese have the Bakeneko, a two-tailed cat spirit.

Black cats were also part of this folklore. In Scotland, if a black cat appears at your doorway or porch, it means prosperity will be coming for you. In the UK, a bride will have luck if she is gifted a black cat or if a black cat walks across your path. Sailors also believed they would have a safe journey if they brought a black cat on their boat.

So why did the black cat, once considered a symbol of good luck, become a symbol of evil and bad luck?

One possible reason was that in Greek mythology, the black cat was known to be a familiar of Hecate, a goddess of magic and witchcraft. Perhaps this was the earliest association of cats with witchcraft and magic. However, their negative reputation might have started as far back as the 13th century with a church document titled “Vox in Rama.” The document listed fears of evil cults in Germany and warned against the Pagan church. It also lists black cats as a tool for initiation for covens. To be initiated, one must kiss the behind of a black cat, and it is said that the devil would appear. A very unhygienic practice if you ask me, but unfortunately, this was the start of the inquisitions and witch hunts, where many innocent people and cats fell victim to it.

The church viewed black cats as “Vessels of the Devil,” and to get rid of the devil, many cats were put to death by brutal methods such as beatings, burning, and being thrown from church belfries. Cat numbers in Europe rapidly decreased in the 1300’s and around this time, a plague was beginning to spread through Europe. This was also blamed on black cats and used as another reason to kill them. This plague was the Bubonic Plague, which ironically would have been suppressed due to the plague being spread by fleas on rats, which could have been kept under control if there had been cats to prey on them.

This fear of black cats did not remain in Europe. It spread among the Puritans living in the New World, most famously in a town called Salem. Any old lady living with several cats was suspected to be a witch with their cats as familiars. It was believed that witches used black cats to spy on the village, carry out tasks for their witch, or worse of all, it could have been the devil in disguise. This could be the reason why it is said that a black cat crossing your path was bad luck, for who knows what kind of dark mission this cat was doing for their master?

Today, we thankfully no longer persecute cats, and they are beloved family pets in millions of homes. Unfortunately, black cats are still the least likely to be adopted from animal shelters, with a high euthanasia rate of 74.6%. Perhaps the superstition from medieval Europe still influences people’s adoption decisions, whether consciously or unconsciously. Even around Halloween, animal shelters halt all black cat adoptions to prevent them from being used in cruel pranks or rituals. Fortunately, the luck of black cats seems to be rising thanks to the Award-winning animated film, “Flow”, which starred a black cat and is said to be the reason why black cat adoptions are rising.

Black cats have faced a hard and brutal history with humans. Yet despite all of it, they overcame and endured it all and are now considered loveable pets that bring in joy and maybe even a tiny bit of magic to their family’s lives. There are many ways to help black cats such as volunteering or donating at an animal shelter. Take a look at the black cat in the shelter or adoption event. Give it a pet or maybe even give it a chance at a good home.

As the great Grouch Marx has said, “A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.”

Thank you for reading, and I’ll see you in the next post! Have a safe and happy Halloween!