Superstitions series - Part 2 - Black cats

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Welcome back to my blog series on superstitions. Here's the first one if you need to catch up. 

One of the most prevalent and widely recognized superstitions that are still in use today is that of the black cats. 

"Pet a cat for a second and you get a friend for life" - the usual drivel from cat owners; well, they're wrong. Cats are far more sensitive than humans and actually hate being touched. Fine, that's another topic for another day, let's get back to superstitions. 

Are black cats bad luck? I'm personally not a fan of black cats (to each his own), but my dislike stems more from its appearance rather than the infamous superstition. The number of black cats in nature is overwhelmingly high because the black gene is the most prevalent one in felines. In that case, shouldn't black cats be placed on a pedestal and crowned the Master of All Cats? 😀

Nevertheless, we can all agree that we've always been spooked whenever we see a black cat. During the Middle Ages, black cats were associated with witches and witchcraft. It is said that this myth began to spread after someone saw a black cat running into a house that was thought to be inhabited by a suspected witch. (What the hell.....so they'll suspect a woman first and then say that whatever goes into her house is cursed. Makes me wonder, probably those Salem witch trials were done to cover up something else.) Black cats were also thought to be witches in disguise, witches' pets, or animal-shaped demons 😂sent by witches to spy on humans. From early 13th century Europe to the 17th century Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts, black cats were killed along with those considered witches. In France, black cats were burned alive to rid areas of evil. These acts significantly reduced the cat population in Europe. 

Alright, enough of the fright and the scares. Did you know there are some parts of the world where black cats are considered.....er.....good luck? 

• In ancient Egypt, black cats were revered because people believed they resembled Bastet, the cat-headed Egyptian goddess of home, fertility, and protection from disease. 
• In some parts of Asia and the UK, you are considered to be lucky if you own a black cat. In Japan, you're believed to be lucky in love if you spot a black cat. 
• Early Europeans believed that sailors would be safe if they took along a black cat on their journeys. 
• In Scotland, it is believed that prosperity was imminent if a black cat appeared on your doorway or your porch.  

A cat is a cat, no matter how it looks. All cats deserve our love. If you choose to continue believing in these mindless superstitions, that's your prerogative, but think before you try to harm an animal. Most animals, especially the domesticated ones, thrive in safe and peaceful environments. The least we can do is offer them that security and co-exist. Recent events of cruelty towards cats, like the heartbreaking incident reported here, serve as a stark reminder of the real-world consequences of blindly believing in superstitions and the importance of being compassionate.