Black Cats And Bad Luck

Would you like to know why black cats are associated with bad luck ? Where and when did that superstition begin that led to the near disappearance of dark-colored cats? Feel free to read the following article.

Black cats in ancient times

To begin this story, we have to travel several centuries in time, more precisely to the time of Ancient Egypt. Considered excellent companion pets, they were increasingly loved because they were responsible for eliminating the rat plagues that plagued cities.

Such was the admiration for the black cats in those lands, that a Goddess called Bastet was worshiped who had the shape of a feline. If someone killed a pussycat, they were sentenced to the death penalty.

The Pharaohs were buried many times with their cats. They even had a very important place in royal cemeteries, as in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The figure of a cat near the monarchs is probably seen in more than one hieroglyph.

The Greeks wanted to replicate many of the Egyptian customs. For this reason, several black cats were taken to their country. This is how they arrived in Europe and, of course, spread throughout the continent. From that moment is when the story would begin to change.

Why are black cats considered ‘unlucky’?

We continue with time travel, but in this case to the Middle Ages. That is when the Catholic Church was a very powerful entity, and it made decisions with great repercussions for society. At the end of the 12th century, in France, a process known as the “Inquisition” began, under which the various courts were in charge of identifying witchcraft and heresy.

Many lonely and mysterious women were persecuted for being considered witches. His destination was the stake. In the same way, they began to persecute the dark cats with the suspicion that they were used by these women to commit their witchcraft and make evil spells.

In reality, what happened was that the cats were very reserved, shy and hid from people, unlike dogs, who looked for a home and food in the houses. It was said at the time that cats were actually camouflaged witches who took the form of an animal. In this way, they could not be caught at night and thus perform their spells without problems.

Black cats and the Plague

The first document where black cats are related to witchcraft and heresy was written in the 13th century. In that role, Pope Gregory IX indicated that they were associated with the devil. Therefore, society began to fear them and, of course, to try to exterminate them in the same way that they did with witches: through torture and fire.

As the cat population had declined significantly, the proliferation of rats did not take long to appear, and with it, disease and death. The Black Death or Bubonic killed more than 25 million people in Europe during 3 years.

At that time it was not known that the cause of transmission was a parasite present in rats. Since cats are natural hunters of rodents, they were linked to the epidemic. Thus, the slaughter of these animals almost made them disappear in the year 1400. What people did not know, was that the fewer cats, more rats and more Plague.

More superstitions about these cats

One of the most widespread legends about the alleged bad luck of black cats arose in the English county of Lincolnshire. It was the year 1560 when a man and his son were walking down the street at night and came across a dark-haired feline.

When the animal hid in a corner, the man threw stones at it to kill it. Wounded and defenseless, he ran into the house of a woman who lived alone and was suspected of being a witch. The next day they saw the old woman with wounds and bruises, and “came to the conclusion” that it was the feline, which had taken that form the night before.

At present, in Spain, it is believed that if a black cat passes by, it is a sign that something bad will happen. They are also related to Halloween celebrations.