Superstition: do black cats really bring bad luck?

When we think of Halloween, the images that come to mind are pumpkins, ghosts, vampires and witches with a black cat. And while the black cat has a special place in the festivities, it's not necessarily an enviable position.

black cat lying on a chair next to a small pumpkin

Sadly, cats are hunted down and killed on Halloween night by people who still believe in the outdated myth that the black cat is evil or an essential ingredient in certain rituals. That's why we strongly advise you to keep your cat, whether black or not, inside your home on Halloween night.

Many people still believe that seeing or owning a black cat is bad luck. This myth is so deeply rooted in our culture that shelters often have 2 to 4 times more black cats than cats of other colours. Unfortunately, black cats are also much harder to get adopted.

Origins of the black cat myth

There are several origins to this myth, but let's take a look at the one that is the most historically documented.

A roman poet named Ovid is at the centre of this myth. Yes, it all started with a little poem! Ovid published his work in the first century A.D., in which he told of the goddess Diane who fled Egypt to hide from the gods. To fool them, she assumed the appearance of a cat in a nod to the famous Egyptian goddess Bastet, who often appeared in a woman’s body, but with the head of a cat.

In the year 391, Theodosius 1st outlawed all pagan religions including cults devoted to Bastet. But it was Ovid’s poem that associated Bastet with cats. This was the first negative association with cats and It would gain momentum to reach its peak one millennia later, in 1233.

Pope Gregory IX, in his famous Vox in Rama, associated the black cat with a creature of Satan, half-human and half-feline (very similar to the mythical Egyptian goddess Bastet). Cats were officially demonised and hunted.

Then, during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe, the witch-hunt sent thousands of women to the stake. Some of these women, elderly widows or single girls whose independence and intelligence were held against them, looked after stray cats. This is how black cats came to be associated with witches, and how a number of cats were put to death along with their benefactress.

Why do we say that cats have 9 lives?

No one knows for sure where this myth comes from, but there are several hypotheses. The number nine is an interesting choice. It differs from the numbers usually associated with Christian stories, such as the number three, linked to the Holy Trinity, or the number seven, common from Greek antiquity to Judeo-Christian culture. Ancient Egypt, on the other hand, had nine main gods in its pantheon. The Egyptians also worshipped cats.

It would seem that it was them who attributed their nine lives to cats, because of their astonishing agility, flexibility and speed. These exceptional skills enable them to survive life-threatening situations. What's more, cats are capable of falling from great heights and recovering by landing on all four paws. This ability has always fascinated the ancient Egyptians, who already considered cats to be creatures endowed with supernatural powers.

Also read: Without cats, we’d have no electricity!

The concept of the cat's multiple lives is present in various cultures, although the number associated with it varies from region to region. In Italy, Greece, Brazil and certain Spanish-speaking regions, for example, the cat is said to have seven lives, while the Turks and Arabs believe they have six.

As we have seen, in medieval times, cats were burnt at the stake by the Inquisition. Surprisingly, some of them survived this ordeal, which only reinforced cats' evil reputation in the eyes of zealots of the time.

black cat looking at its reflection in a window

Putting an end to the black cat myth

It's time to put an end to these harmful superstitions and restore black cats' reputation. If you're thinking of adopting a cat, remember that the colour of a cat's coat has nothing to do with its nature or personality.

Some good reasons to adopt a black cat

You can’t see black hair on your black clothes.
You will save one of the many black cats from a shelter.
Black brings out the color of his eyes.
You will find your cat easily in the snow while going for a little walk.
The black cat blends into any décor.

Do not miss out on an opportunity to fall in love with a little black cat and invite him into your family! Our Adoption Zones often have several ones who are just waiting for their family for life, yours!