black cat superstitions and folklore
“Whenever the cat of the house is black,
the lasses of lovers will have no lack.”
-English proverb
I am a sucker for superstitions. I always throw salt over my left shoulder, only pick up a penny if it’s heads up, plant rosemary by the front door, FREAK OUT if I break a mirror, won’t trim the hawthorn tree, try to exit the door I enter, and many more silly little quirks. Personally, I think it makes me more interesting, but some people think I’m just a little crazy and ridiculous (Granny;))!
Black cats, however, I embrace! I LOVE them. We have 2- Charm (5yo) and Pixie Vixen (1yo). We also call them the “Inkspots” after my brother-in-law’s grandma’s black cats. The little ladies and I simply cannot resist Pixie’s little black fuzzy face!
Cat superstitions from various countries:
-In Britain and Japan it’s good luck to have a black cat cross your path
-In the south of France, black cats are referred to as “matagots” or “magician cats.” According to local superstition, they bring good luck to owners who feed them well and treat them with the respect they deserve.
-In the USA and some parts of Europe it is considered bad luck to have a black cat cross your path, make an “x” in the air to cancel out the luck.
-In Scotland a strange black cat on your porch brings prosperity.
-In Egypt, it was once believed that the life-giving rays of the sun were kept in a cat’s eyes at night for safekeeping. ***LOVE this!
-In Germany, if a black cat crosses your path from right to left it is a bad omen, but if it crosses from left to right, the cat is granting favorable times for you.
-In Italy, if an inky lays on a sick person’s bed, death will follow.
-In China there are those that believe black cats to be harbingers of famine and poverty.
-Latvian farmers that find black kitties in their grain silos, dance with joy. They believe these felines to be the spirit of Rungis, a god of harvests.
-In most parts of the world it is thought that a black cat walking towards you is a certainty of good luck coming your way; should the cat stop and turn away before it reaches you, fair fortune is not to be yours.
-Chasing black cats out of your house is a certain way to ensure that yours will not be a lucky house.
-Stroking the fur of black cats will bring you both health and wealth.
-In some fishing communities, the fishermen’s wives keep their cats indoors, believing that this will keep their men folk safe from peril while at sea.
-Many people around the world believe that there is a single white hair to be found, even on the blackest of cats. Pull out that hair, without getting a scratch, and yours will be a long, happy and prosperous marriage.
-One popular tale from British feline lore illustrates the thinking of the day. In Lincolnshire in the 1560s, a father and his son were frightened one moonless night when a small creature darted across their path into a crawl space. Hurling stones into the opening, they saw an injured black cat scurry out and limp into the adjacent home of a woman suspected by the town of being a witch. Next day, the father and son encountered the woman on the street. Her face was bruised, her arm bandaged. And she now walked with a limp. From that day on in Lincolnshire, all black cats were suspected of being witches in night disguise. The lore persisted. The notion of witches transforming themselves into black cats in order to prowl streets unobserved became a central belief in America during the Salem witch hunts. Thus, an animal once looked on with approbation became a creature dreaded and despised.
-Germany has lots of legends of black coated cats and witches. While being sentenced to death, a German witch cackled at the judge, spat threats to the priest, and cursed her executioner. She was dragged from the court and tied to a stake for burning. As the flames rose around her she let forth a deafening cackle, there was a flash and a black cat leap from the flames and escaped amongst the astonished crowd.
-King Charles the first of England owned a black cat. He believed this cat to be lucky and was so afraid of losing it he had it guarded day and night. Coincidentally the cat died the very day before Oliver Cromwell’s parliamentary troops came and arrested the king. Shortly after, King Charles was taken to the scaffold and beheaded. (some stories and superstitions were found at best-cat-art.com)
”One cannot catch a black cat in a dark room.” Chinese proverb
For me, black inkspots are the best companions! We love our two fuzzy ones and would feel an empty place without them. They inspire us to write stories and poems, draw pictures, paint, and are models for sewing projects. I couldn’t resist the above pictured corduroy fabric I found at the fabric store. It will be made into cat shaped pillows for the little ladies for the holidays.
Edgar Allen Poe was inspired to write a short story about a black cat titled- The Black Cat (here is a study guide link too for more info). You will want to read this story first before reading it aloud to the little ones. You know how Edgar Allen Poe can be a “little” gory and gruesome, this story fits the true Edgar Allen Poe gory style!
I know a lot of my blogger friends also have black inkspots living with them and bringing them luck and love into their daily lives! Both of my sisters also have black cats, it’s quite sad though, the black cats in my family (including my sisters’ inkspots) were all strays. It’s a shame that some people are missing out on a wonderful housepet due to a superstition based on color!
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Since I wear mostly dark colours I’d have to agree that black cats are best lol. We loved our white cat (RIP KittyBabe) but his fur was the bain of my existance!
What a fab post! Have been pondering on the folklore and superstitions surrounding Black Cats myself lately. We have three cats two of which are black. Our newest “witch in disguise” is Maddy, a crazy little 10 wk old! We have one of her brothers too but he is a Tabby and lacks the magical charm of his sister
She’s definately special. She was the only female of the litter and the only black one too!
I’m kind of into superstitions. I really try to exit the door I entered for sure.
Awesome post; I love the collection of cat folklore. I love black cats too; we had an beautiful black cat (who wandered in on Halloween, with his orange sister — being the incredibly creative family we were, they became Goblin and Pumpkin) who just recently passed away after over 16 years. He was a wonderful, gorgeous cat.
Gorgeous shot of your beauty, too — that fur looks so soft and fluffy!
P.P.S. Anet, I love the name of your kitty, Boogieman Gravedigger!
Kali Ma says thanks for the shot out! However, Leo is offended you did not mention him…he is going to remember that next time he sees you.
P.S. That is such a sweet picture of the Pixel. I want to kiss her little sweet head.
Our inkspots – love that term, by the way – have always had the most unique personalities. I have a feeling another one may be joining the herd – a sweet black kitty we found last night. My daughter immediately named her Gypsy. It’s all over once they get a name…
This was a really fun post to read. Thank you for taking the time to share it with us!
We just love our black cat, Nemo. He is super affectionate and has always been very tolerant with children.
The superstitions you detailed were fun to read!
You have such a beautiful cat! I loved reading this post, very interesting.
Awesome post Lisa!
Being a black cat owner; Boogieman Gravedigger, Boo for short
I love the folk lore you posted.
Also I’m checking out the Poe lesson for Noah, how fun?!
I just read in a mag. that black dogs and cats are harder to adopt out
at the shelters, how sad!
We adopted a big black dog from one and he was the best dog ever!!!
I have had many black cats in my life and they are my favorite! I have Leo Houdini (1 and a half yo) and he is a little trickster. I was always finding him in the oddest places. He would disappear for hours and no matter of calling or looking for him would bring him out until he decided to come out. So, he was named Houdini for his disappearing acts!
It is a shame that black cats are looked upon as bad here in the states. It looks like from your list of superstitions that there is more prosperity than danger of having black cats!!
Oh what an interesting post! I learned a bunch! I love the Latvian beliefs!!! Black cats are our favorite….we have two of them. The other day at the humane society they were selling black cats for only $20……they really do have a hard time finding homes for them. Very sad!
GREAT post. it’s so interesting. i had no idea there was so much lore centered around black cats. and great cat names you’ve given your friendly felines!
I had a black cat in high school. I named her Abyss, or Abby for short. She was the BEST cat ever. Her mother was Siamese which added to her crazy intense personality. She still lives with my mother. She was very angry at me for leaving her, stopped talking to me for months, but she hated my apartment even more. Thank you for sharing!
Love those beautiful eyes. I adore black cats, but was never allowed to have one because our Mothere was deathly afraid of them. I would have one now, but I’m hardly ever home and wouldn’t do that to a sweet kitty. I loved my landlord’s kitties though. Miss Ginger was a calico (a mix of copper and black and white) and she was the sweetest thing with beautiful green eyes. Macho was black with a white tie throat and paws that looked like gloves and socks. I called him “Mr. Tuxedo.” They’re both gone now and I still miss them very much. My best friend’s cat, Freddy, was a gray persian with orange eyes. He always looked mean but was a teddy bear when you petted him. The cat she has now, Thomas, comes running to me as soon as I enter the house to be petted. When I sit in the chair, he sits on the back and I lean my head back so he can touch my nose with his. He makes me giggle. xxoo
One of my kitties is white (our girl, Stormy, 12) and one is black (our boy, Emperor Shiva Spitfire, 2… He just goes by Shiva the Destroyer). So I guess the “lasses of lovers will have no lack” in this house!
China had a huge influence on Korean culture, historically, so it is a good thing I keep my cat indoors. Otherwise, they might seem as a harbinger of famine and poverty.
Of course, he’s not.
He’s just incredibly destructive.
i love this and i want your kitties!