Not allowing a black cat to cross your path is a superstition I grew up hearing, but its origins aren’t necessarily worldwide, as I was surprised to learn. As a matter of fact, some cultures consider cats as good omens. So when was it that cats were deemed unlucky, and specifically why was it thought that black cats were the unluckiest of all? I had fun researching this latest topic.
By the way, I realize this picture isn’t a black cat… but look at his cute widdle face!
Okay… let’s dive in…to probably the most scattered topic ever! This one was hard to wrangle in, sort of like… well… cats.
Cats in Ancient Times
Early man had a healthy fear of cats, and rightly so since most of them were much larger than they are now and had teeth that allowed them to snack on the occasional human. Primal fear in that case is completely understood, especially based on the size of some of the cats we have now such as tigers and leopards. But over the years the cats have shrunk down into a manageable size and slipped their way into our homes and hearts. This isn’t a recent event, but something that has happened over thousands of years.
Egypt
According to the book, The Woman’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by: Barbara G. Walker, the worshiping of cats began in Ancient Egypt and they were so sacred, anyone who killed one was put to death. Their word for cat was “Mau” which in a lot of ways sounds like the cry of a cat who is speaking to you. There were two main goddesses related to cats, Sekhmet (who was a personification of Hathor who acted as the vengeful manifestation of the Eye of Ra) and Bastet (a lioness goddess who was eventually shown as the softer side of Sekhmet, becoming a dual goddess).
Not only was Bastet depicted as the goddess of contagious disease and evil spirits, but she was also the goddess of childbirth and pregnancy. It is quite possible that the cat’s ability to keep the disease carrying vermin (and snake) populations low had something to do with the first duty. The second is that domestic cats are pretty darn fertile, as most people are familiar with, especially if you live in an area where they roam the streets and countryside. These cats served a purpose as well as keeping people company. They were so revered they were even mummified to join their owners in the afterlife.
Norse
In a post I wrote about Freya (Freyja), it was mentioned that she rode around the cosmos in a chariot pulled by her cat familiars, and is the goddess of love, fertility, and magick among other things. Cats were sacred, and similar to Egyptian Myth, they represented protection and were symbols of good fortune. It was even a common custom to gift a cat to a bride as a way to bless the marriage and attract Freya’s favor. I love this tradition, by the way, I would have adored getting a kitten on my wedding day! My cat Shadow may not have liked it at the time though.
Cats weren’t just for the ladies, they had a purpose for the men as well. They were often used on ships to keep the vermin out of the food stores that they carried with them on their journeys. This helped to lower the spread of disease, which is most likely why the Vikings felt they held magical powers of protection. They were happy to see them walking on a ship to help with the mice, but when the cat turned around and walked off again, it surely meant the ship was doomed to sink the next time it left port.
Roman
Diana is considered the Goddess of the Hunt, but was also known as the protector of domestic animals. One could argue that housecats could easily fall into that category. Artemis (Diana) was known to appear in cat form which is why she was linked with the Egyptian Bastet at the time. It is said that when Typhon, one of the deadliest creatures in Greek Mythology, attacked Olympus, the Gods and Goddesses changed into animals and fled. That was when Artemis (Diana) turned into the wily feline and left Zeus and Athena to fight him. Pretty much like a cat…
I found this quote in Wikipedia interesting: “Like Pindar, Nicander has all the gods, but Zeus and Athena, transform into animal forms and flee to Egypt: Apollo became a hawk, Hermes an ibis, Ares a fish, Artemis a cat, Dionysus a goat, Heracles a fawn, Hephaestus an ox, and Leto a mouse.” Since Artemis (Diana) was turned into a cat, and her mother, Leto, was turned into a mouse… well…you see where I’m going with this?
It is said that Artemis and her mother Leto got along, so making them a cat and mouse combination seems odd. But who knows… maybe it was more like a Tom and Jerry situation… moving on.
Cats and Witchcraft
There were nine (or 10 by some accounts) Egyptian Ennead, the mythical ninefold Gods and Goddesses which may have laid the groundwork for the number nine being used to count the possible lives of a witch and/or cat. Considering that many of these Gods and Goddesses had feline heads, it isn’t a wonder that they were connected to cats, or the idea that they could change into cats. Once the jump from polytheism was made to monotheism, it didn’t take long for the past Gods and Goddesses to become “devils” and for the animals they embodied to get caught up in the “witchhunt.”
According to the article by Bambi Turner, “The Dark History of Black Cat Superstition,” Pope Gregory IX proclaimed in 1233 C.E. that the black cat was an incarnation of the devil. His papal bull was the first to link cats to witchcraft and led to the persecution and killing of cats, black ones especially, which depleted the number so low scholars believe it supported the bubonic plague to spread. Once cats were tied to heresy and witches, it was the beginning of the end for them.
A quote I found from S.E. Schlosser at American Folklore states: “In the 1500s, there arose the belief that witches could shape-shift themselves into the form of black cats so they could roam freely about the country wrecking havoc and spying on people..”
If only that were true, what an ability that would be. Anyway, as the settlers came over to the new world and brought their beliefs with them, the firm suspicion of black cats was set by the time the Salem witch trials came around. They were so suspicious of them, that merely owning a cat could get you persecuted as a witch. And some believed that a black cat could transform into a witch after serving her mistress for 7 years. They had been burning them for years in Europe, I can only imagine what these poor animals went through in America at the time.
My guess is the stigma stuck after centuries of programming by the church, which is why to this day the black cat is considered bad luck in the US if it crosses your path, since it meant that you would be noticed by the devil. In Germany the same rule applies if it crosses you from right to left, but if the opposite direction then good fortune will be yours!
China believes they bring hunger and poverty, and in Italy if a black cat lies on the bed of someone ill, it could mean it is time to say your goodbyes. But it isn’t that way in all countries…
According to “A Book of Old-Fashioned Superstitions: Black Cats & Evil Eyes,” by Chloe Rhodes, the arrival of a black cat to your home in Scotland is a sign of prosperity, and in England it is considered good luck if the cat walks toward you, sort of like the myth from the days of the Vikings. And in Ireland it is considered lucky to see a black cat especially on a wedding day or the first day of a new journey.
Cats in Entertainment
Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat was created in 1919 during the silent film era, but when I met him he had a voice. Loved his magic bag of tricks! He is older than Mickey Mouse, and was the first mass-marketed cartoon character. My guess is he paved the way for folks like Walt Disney to realize there was money to be made by hooking the kiddos.
The Cat in the Hat
This 1957 book by Dr. Seuss is one I remember from my childhood and he has gotten revamped over the years to movies and cartoons. Thing 1 and Thing 2 are some of the easiest costumes at Halloween if you have been invited last minute to a party… just an idea.
This movie didn’t land for me the same way the live action Grinch Before Christmas movie with Jim Carrey did, but for anyone who missed it, it is celebrating 26 years this year.
I found this great site by PBS that has all sorts of activities for the kiddos. Fun! https://pbskids.org/catinthehat
The Cheshire Cat
And who can forget the Cheshire Cat in “Alice In Wonderland,” by Lewis Carroll, with his creepy, last to disappear grin? Not one of my favorites, but one of the most memorable cats to date.
There was just too much information to digest for this topic, so I put the links below so you can explore on your own. The two books I have listed are on my shelves and ones I reference quite regularly if you want to check them out.
I hope to get to some of the other posts listed below in the next few months and if time allows. In the meantime, hope you have a great day and share something you learned about cats below! Would love to learn right along with you!
Happy research!
Books:
Black Cat & Evil Eyes: A Book of Old-Fashioned Superstitions by: Chloe Rhodes
The Woman’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets by: Barbara G. Walker
Resources:
https://www.history.com/articles/black-cats-superstitions
https://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/why-are-black-cats-considered-unlucky.htm
https://www.learnreligions.com/symbol-black-cats-2562705
Fun finds:
https://sonsofvikings.com/blogs/history/cats-vikings-and-norse-mythology
Other topics (blog posts I wrote):
To check out what I write, see my new Shifters In New York Collection here:
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