Black Cat Appreciation Day on August 17th aims to dispel all myths surrounding black cats. Additionally, the day shouldn’t be confused with National Black Cat Day.
- The Egyptians revered all cats as good luck. Today, many cultures worldwide view black cats as good luck.
- Somewhere during the Middle Ages, Europeans got the idea that black cats were associated with witchcraft. The elderly, solitary women who often fed and cared for stray cats were also often (mis) identified as witches and the cats as their conspirators.
- Cats of royalty were known to be dressed in golden jewelry and were allowed to eat right off their owners’ plates.
- The goddess of warfare was a woman with the head of a cat named Bastet.
- In Celtic mythology, it was believed that fairies could take the form of black cats, and therefore their arrival to a home or village was seen as sign of good luck.
- In England (except Yorkshire) and Ireland, should a black cat cross your path, it’s good luck.
- Speaking of Great Britain, giving a cat to a bride in the English Midlands is good luck.
- Are you Scottish? A strange black cat arriving at your home means you may win the jackpot!
- If you’re German, you have to pay attention. If the cat crosses your path from right to left, that’s bad; left to right is good.
- If you’re a pirate, it gets even more complicated. If the black cat is walking toward you, it’s bad luck. If it’s walking away, that’s good. If the cat walks onto the ship and then back off—get off the ship, it’s going to sink.
- Fishermen (and their wives) saw black cats as good luck, with many keeping them on their ships or in their homes. Black cats became so highly valued that some could not afford them.
- In Japan, black cats are considered symbols of good luck, especially for single women. Owning a black cat is thought to attract potential suitors.
- In Russia, all cats are viewed as lucky.
- There is not just one breed of black cat. There are 22cat breeds in the Cat Fanciers Association directory that list “black” as a color option.
- Many black cats have golden eyes, which is the result of high melanin pigment content in their bodies.
- Black cats are quintessential Halloween icons—and the number one costume choice for both elementary-aged children and women in their freshman year of college.
Sources:
