What’s behind black cat superstitions?
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/10/2021 (597 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
In addition to a pillow case full of candy, my childhood memories of Halloween include all things scary, creepy and spooky.
It was only as an adult that I began to wonder about the association between black cats and Halloween and why black cats were also said to bring about bad luck. With Halloween fast approaching and images of ghosts, witches and black cats all around us, I decided to seek out the answers.
It was said that the superstitions originated in Europe and date back thousands of years. In support of this claim, I came upon a story dating back to the Middle Ages that offered an explanation.
On a moonless night, a father and son were walking in the woods when a black cat crossed their path. They pelted the cat with rocks until the animal fled into the home of a woman, who was accused of being a witch.
The next day, the father and son saw the woman and said she was limping and appeared bruised. Their assumption was that the witch had been able to turn herself into a black cat at night in order to prowl the streets incognito, wreaking havoc and avoiding detection.
This belief is said to have spread and, to this day, black cats continue to be associated with witches and are a symbol of Halloween, a holiday that revolves around things dark and mystical.
Being a cat lover myself, I was pleased to read that not all cultures believe in such superstitions and actually view black cats in a positive light.
In Scotland, if a strange black cat crosses your path, it is believed to bring prosperity, while in Japan, black cats are said to bring good luck. In Ancient Egypt, black cats were divine beings, treasuring and openly worshipped.
A black cat was once seen as an ideal wedding gift in parts of the United Kingdom, as they were believed to bring good luck and happiness to the bride.
According to folklore, anyone who owns a black cat in Asia or the U.K is expected to be lucky in life, while in France, something magical was about to happen for anyone who encountered a black cat.
Logically speaking and all superstitions aside, there can be no inherent evil associated with the colour of a cat’s fur and it is unfortunate that black cats have been given a bad rap!
Be safe and have a Happy Halloween!
Cindy Murdoch is a community correspondent for Transcona. She can be contacted at reflections8@shaw.ca
Cindy Murdoch
Transcona community correspondent
Cindy Murdoch is a community correspondent for Transcona. She can be contacted at reflections8@shaw.ca