Black Cats: 10 Myths You Shouldn’t Listen To

Cats are adorable animals who are very loyal to their owners. They are also very independent animals. Unlike dogs, cats don’t need to be taken outside to go to the bathroom or be walked each day. As long as you cat has a clean litter box, food, water, and a comfortable place to sleep, you cat will be happy and content. When it comes to cats, many people avoid getting cats that are all black because of all of the superstition surrounding these cats. Some of the myths surrounding black cats go back to the thousands of years ago. If you understand the superstitions and where they come from, you will be more likely to adopt an adorable black cat since all of the stories are not true.

Greek Mythology – The Cat Could Be an Angry, Betrayed Servant Inside

According to Greek mythology, Zeus, the King of the Gods, cheated on his wife Herra with Princess Alcmene, and conceived Hercules. Hera was so angry by the pregnancy, that she made a vow that Hercules would never be born. Before she could carry out her plan, one of the princesses servants tricked her and the plan was ruined. In retaliation, she changed the servant that tricked her into a black cat, and sent her to serve Hecate, the Goddess of death and witchcraft. Today, when Greeks see a black cat, they are never sure whether or not it is just a cat or the angry servant/cat.

The Black Cat Represents Satan

During the middle ages, the current Pope, Pope Gregory XI published a document called Vox in Rama It was about devil worship and it was released in 1233. In the paper, the Pope stated that black cats were the incarnations of Satan. After people read this, they started killing every black cat that they saw. Over time, this theory changed and suddenly, it was safe to be a black cat again. While it has been unproven, there are still some people who are very superstitious and refuse to have a black cat. Luckily, nobody is going around killing these furry little animals anymore.

Pagan Worship

Many Pagans respect the moon and during the night, they would perform rituals when the moon is its brightest. Since cats are nocturnal, they became associated with Paganism. This caused the church to persecute cats. When people were getting angry about persecuting all cats, the church started persecuting just black cats. Possibly because of the stories of Pope Gregory XI.

The Witches Familiar

For centuries, people believed that black cats were a witches familiar, and they would help the witches with their spells and potions. This was especially true during the days of the Salem witch trials. As people began to believe that witches and their powers were not actually real, the stigma still stuck with the black cat. If you see pictures of witches hanging up on Halloween, they all have a black cat close by.

The Egyptian Myth

In ancient Egypt, cats were worshiped and adored by everyone. Goddesses Bast and Sekhmet were cats. The Egyptians believed that since two highly respected, highly loved Goddesses were cats, that all cats should be loved and adored. Many Egyptians believed that if they owned a black cat, they would be bless by Goddess Bast .

Cruelty to Black Cats is Worse During Halloween

This is a myth that started circulating on social media. People were posting about seeing black cats being harmed on Halloween. People believed that satanic cults were adopting black cats for sacrifice on Halloween. This has been proven false as there have been no spikes in black cat adoptions on any Halloween in any part of the country. Also, there have been no increase in cases of animal cruelty anywhere in the country. If this was the case, there would be a ban for shelters when it comes to adopting black cats on Halloween.

Nobody Wants to Adopt the Black Cat

This is a myth that has some merit, however, it is not for the reasons that you may think. While it is true that more black cats are euthanized in shelter each year than other colors, black dogs are as well. Most people look on the shelter’s website to choose the animal that they want to adopt. Since black animals don’t photograph as well as other colors of animals, people pass them by. It is not just due to the fact that they are black.

Bad Luck

One of the most common superstitions that are still around today is that black cats are bad luck. It is said that if a black cat crosses your path, that your luck will immediately turn from good to bad. While many people do not believe this superstition, there are some who do. There are believers who will cross the street to avoid crossing paths with the black cat. Some people will see a black cat and then throw salt over their shoulder to reverse the bad luck back to good. Anyone who owns a black cat, however, knows that this is simply not true.

Black Cats Are the Protector’s of a Baby’s Breath

This is actually a myth where the black cat is a hero among his multi-colored counterparts. There is an old wives tale that when a cat comes across a sleeping baby, that it will steal that baby’s breath. This is, until, a black cat comes to the baby’s rescue. The black cat is the savior in the story, keeping the black cat from taking the baby’s breath and its life.

The Pirate’s Belief

Ancient civilizations were not the only ones to have beliefs about the black cat. Pirates in eh 18th century believed that if a black cat walked towards a person, they would have bad luck. If a black cat walked away from a person, they would have good luck.

With all of the myth and superstitions surrounding the black cat, one truth remains. Black cats are cute animals and they make excellent companions. The next time you see a black cat walking in your path, there is no need to run.