Today is Black Cat Appreciation Day. If you share your life with one or more of these beautiful cats, that’s every day for you, because you already know just how special they are.
Sadly, black cats are also burdened with ridiculous prejudices. They have played a major role in superstitions, folklore and mythology for centuries. In the Middle Ages, black cats were believed to be witches’ familiars, and many even believed that black cats were reincarnated witches or messengers of witches or demons. The association of black cats with witches has become so ingrained in our culture that they’ve become synonymous with Halloween.
Interestingly, the folklore surrounding black cats varies from culture to culture. In Britain and Japan, having a black cat cross your path is considered good luck; in the United States and several European countries, having a black cat walk by is considered bad luck. It even seems to matter from which direction the black cat comes from: In Germany, some believe that black cats crossing a person’s path from right to left is a bad omen, but from left to right brings good luck.
In a recent article for Answers.com, I explored the superstitions around black cats. Click here to read the full article.
Thankfully, despite these superstitions, black cats have a large, loyal following of people who appreciate these sleek, gorgeous creatures in all their beauty.
If you are owned by one of these black beauties, we’d love it if you would share your pictures on our Facebook page.
The post Black Cat Superstitions and Their Origins appeared first on The Conscious Cat.
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