Five Ways Cats Actually Bring Good Luck Around The World

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There is a pretty big misconception around the world that black cats are horrible luck. Think about it; when one walks in front of you, do you worry a bit? I know I do, and then I remind myself that black cats are not bad luck. It’s just a myth perpetuated by someone who has nothing better to do than believe that witches used black cats or something to that effect. Black cats are just cats, and the way that they are treated because of their color is just wrong. Did you know that many people will try to adopt a black cat as Halloween draws near so that they can sacrifice it, use it as a prop for their costume or even kill it?

This is such a problem across the country that many shelters are now refusing to adopt black cats at all the month of October, and that it just a cruel form of animal abuse. However, it’s necessary and it’s a good way to protect innocent cats from ignorant people. With that said, cats are not bad luck. In fact, they are quite lucky in many parts of the world.

Ask anyone who has ever lived in another country and you might be surprised to hear that cats are actually quite lucky in many cultures. Want to know how cats bring good luck around the world? We will tell you; it’s really kind of interesting just how much good luck it’s thought that black cats bring around the world, and we thought you’d be interested in knowing some of it.

1. Good Fortune and Wealth

In the Japanese culture, black cats are said to bring wealth and good fortune. The Japanese are so fond of this belief that they will even use black cat statues around their homes and businesses because they want to draw that into their lives in a way that will bring to them the good fortune and the wealth that they want. It’s a very big belief in this culture, and it’s one we wish the rest of the world would adopt so that black cats would be viewed as wonderful instead of scary. If you are looking for some good fortune and wealth in Japan, you’ll want a black cat in your life.

2. Blessed Marriages

In English culture, it’s considered very good luck to present a bride with a black cat on her wedding day. It’s supposed to bring her good luck in her marriage. If she chooses to keep the cat and make it part of her home life with her new husband, it’s been said that the cat will then bring good luck into the entire course of both their lives and their marriage, allowing the couple to live together for their entire lives, long and healthy and happy. Black, in general, is considered a lucky color in the English culture, and black cats are very popular over there. Couples in English culture consider a black cat to be a wonderful gift in their marriage, and that’s something that many of them will hope for when they get married. It’s far more common in the past than it is right now, though, so you don’t see too many English brides with black cats in their dressing room or suite on their wedding day anymore.

3. Safe Travels

In the past, it was thought that black cats on a ship were good luck. They were signs that a ship would return safely to port. Families were often more comfortable when their fathers, brothers, and husbands were on board a ship on which a black cat had made himself at home. He was thought to be some form of protection, which is what many people were looking for in a time when the world seemed to be a very dangerous and scary place. Unfortunately, people took advantage of this belief in a way that made it virtually impossible for a sailor to afford a black cat to take aboard his ship with him, so not very many men had them to bring aboard ships.

4. Good Fortune

In many parts of the world, it’s believed that respecting a black cat is a good idea. It’s sort of play on the fact that black cats are bad luck, but we like to believe that people just like black cats. In cultures where this is the belief, it is not uncommon to find people going out of their way to make sure their black cat or any black cat is treated properly. They will give black cats a warm bed, the first bite of food and pretty much anything that it wants. The reason is so that the black cat will like them. When the black cat likes them, it won’t use its black magic on them. So, these are people who kind of believe that black cats are bad luck, but only in a very karma-esque manner.

5. Safe Homes

According to many Feng-Shui professionals, black cats are great luck around the house. However, only if you are good to them as they want to be kept safe and protected. If you are willing to take in a black cat and keep it safe and protected, it will do the same for your home. It’s believed that while they are not bad luck at all, black cats do ward off dangerous spirits and bad luck, so having one around the house is good luck. However, it’s only good luck if you keep the cat healthy and happy. It’s sort of a play on the golden rule; you treat the cat as you want to be treated and he will treat you the same way in return as far as the safety and happiness of your home is concerned.

Do you have any superstitions about black cats you believe to be true, or any cultures that revere these amazing animals as good luck? If so, we’d love to hear all about how you feel that cats bring good luck and good fortune.

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