We’re back with another edition of Urban Legend: Fact or Fiction. In this chapter, we are going to look at why people think black cats are bad luck. So curl up and get cozy for the origins of this dark superstition.
The Story
“You know you should never let a black cat cross your path. It will bring you nothing but bad luck,” a cat-hating Karen, somewhere.
Variants
Many things are rumored to bring bad luck, like breaking mirrors, opening an umbrella inside, or walking under ladders. While the aforementioned are just good advice, even without the threat of 7 years of bad luck, this superstition is a cat horse of a different color. As long as someone isn’t allergic or intending to harass the animal, there is little reason to avoid felines. Let alone just cats of one specific color.
Which raises the question: why are black cats considered bad luck in the first place?
History
Cats have been associated with the magical and mystical, going as far back as ancient Greece. They were linked to Hecate, the goddess of magic, sorcery, and the moon. Though some theorize that black cats can hunt better at night, making them better mousers. Since many earth-based religions favor the practical, this may have strengthened their connection to witchcraft.
This association bled into 13th-century Europe when the official church document “Vox in Rama” was issued by Pope Gregory IX on June 13, 1233. In this document, we see the superstition surrounding cats shift to just black when they were declared an incarnation of Satan. It also marked the beginning of the Inquisition, in which the church sanctioned heretic/witch hunts. This connection with Satan, coupled with the belief that witches have familiars and can shapeshift into animals, only strengthened this negative association.
When the bubonic plague hit Europe, many blamed cats, with a bias towards black ones, for the epidemic, causing them to be killed in large numbers. This dwindling feline population led to a massive explosion in the rodent population. Inadvertently helping spread the plague faster.
[Content warning: Descriptions of animal abuse in the paragraph below only.]
Mass killings of black cats due to superstition became all too common. In parts of Europe like France, black cats were burned alive to rid the area of evil. In Denmark, they were beaten to death to purge evil before Lent arrived and spring began. And in Belgium, they were flung to their deaths from the belfries of local churches and then set on fire. All to celebrate “Kattenstoet” or “Festival of Cats,” which is still done to this day, but now with stuffed cats.
Is it Real?
No, there is zero evidence to prove that black cats are bad luck. In fact, many cultures consider them to be good luck. It’s well known that Ancient Egyptians worshiped cats of all varieties. Maritime lore believes that a black cat on board will bring good luck to the vessel and crew. And Welch folklore cites black cats for bringing home good luck, and being reliable predictors of the weather. [Writer’s note: I’ve had several black cats and the biggest hazard is tripping over them in the dark.]
Whether you think black cats are good or evil is purely dependent on the culture and time period you grew up in. But the unfortunate reality is that this superstition has created a horrible bias against these precious little voids. Shelters consistently have issues placing black cats due to these ridiculously antiquated beliefs. This leads to many being euthanized before they ever find a forever home.
Violence against them also persists to the point where many shelters have had to ban the adoption of black cats during months like October due to fear of abuse. Making getting them placed in safe environments even harder. As the decades wear on, this stigma is lessening, but it’s heartbreaking to think of all the lives that have been and will still be lost due to ignorance.
This urban legend is:
