Blame it on their color of darkness or those reflective evil eyes, black cats have been historically blamed for evils of the world. Be it plague or blasphemy, there has been a plethora of allegations on this poor creature, which ironically has been the favorite of many holy men. While cats had their heyday when they were revered, the black cats superstition is widely prevalent today.
Black Cat Superstition Origin: Egypt
The worst phase for the black cats came after Egyptian dominance.
- This could be probably due the later rulers that shunned everything that was Egyptian. As breaking the cultural shield is the first route to setting up a new dominance, later empires might have tried to break the belief system and thus induce new hatred which later, through generations, transformed into superstitions.
- The origins of this old superstition can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where the Goddess Bast was represented as a black cat. People began to fear black cats because they associated them with the Goddess getting angry with them and causing problems.
Black Cat Myth: Variations Across Geography
Depending on the place one stays, there are various superstitions pertaining to the cats. While in USA or several European countries, a black cat crossing your path is considered unlucky, in places such as Britain and Japan, it is considered lucky.
Other superstitions attached with the cats are:
- Scotland: A strange black cat on a porch is considered to bring prosperity.
- Italy: Any one who hears a cat sneezing is considered to be blessed with good luck.
- America: While dreaming of white cats is considered lucky, seeing one in the night is bad luck.
- Netherlands: Cats were considered to be evil and aren’t allowed in a room where private conversations are taking place. It was believed that they could spread the gossip around.
- Egypt: It is believed that the life giving rays of the sun rest in the cat’s eyes at night for safe keeping.
- Ireland: It is believed that killing a cat brings bad luck for seventeen years.
In the post Christian era, black cats have been associated with witches and continue to be seen as harbingers of doom. Black cats have also been associated with supernatural powers. Many TV series and films have used them to signify occult powers. It is believed that witches could transform in to cats nine times.
Very good post Hammad. Even in India many people still believe that if a black cat crosses your path, it means bad luck. People prefer to wait for five to ten minutes if they see a black cat while going out for some important work.