An irrational fear of black cats and Halloween seems to go hand-in-hand. While these spooky superstitions may seem harmless, they’re actually the reason black cats are adopted way less often than other cats (they’re two-thirds less likely to get adopted than white cats and half as likely to be adopted as tabby cats, to be exact).
Being that National Black Cat Day is Sunday, October 27, we want to debunk ALL the myths that have kept adorable, black felines homeless.
If you want to show your support for these beautiful cats, be sure to rock our black ‘All Cats Are Good To Save – Eco-Tee!’ The best part about purchasing this tee is that 10 percent of our profits go to animal rescue and environmental organizations!
And if you’re considering adopting a kitty, please consider a black one!
Black cats are witches
The first black cat superstition began in Ancient Greece. Greek mythology explains that Hera, the powerful Zeus’s wife, turned her servant into a black cat as punishment. She apparently impeded the birth of Hercules and therefore spent the rest of her days as a black cat! The goddess of witchcraft, Hecate, took the servant in as an assistant and thus the superstition began.
Another myth surrounds black cats because of the Celtic Cat Sìth. This creature could apparently steal dead people’s souls by passing over them, thus never allowing the gods to claim the souls. People would even go so far as to keep watch over graveyards to keep black cats away!
Whether the cat servant took to Hecate’s witch ways, we will never know, but the fact remains clear: black cats are not shape-shifting witches and they certainly aren’t stealing dead souls!
Black cats bring about bad luck
One of the biggest myths surrounding black cats is that seeing one will bring bad luck. This is largely because black cats tend to look more sly than their colorful counterparts.
Pirates also believed that cats coming towards them were good luck but away were bad…interesting logic, but we’re not buying it.
On the contrary, this same sighting would be considered lucky in Scotland. All black cats are also considered to be lucky in Russia.
In Japan, seeing a black cat is meant to help single women find suitors. Keep that in mind the next time you’re swiping right on a dating app!
Interesting facts about black cats
Want to know more about why black cats are amazing? Keep reading to discover some pretty incredible facts about them!
- There are 22 feline breeds that are all black in color
- The Bombay breed was originally bred to look like a miniature black panther
- The Bombay breed was featured in a few famous television shows and movies, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Coraline
- Black cats were worshipped in Ancient Egypt
Long story short, don’t be a scaredy-cat, and instead of judging these sly looking felines, you should consider adopting one! Black cats tend to spend an average of 13 percent more time in shelters compared to other cats, and this is likely because of the myths surrounding them.
Did you love this article about black cat superstitions? Do you want to read about more myths that Wholesome Culture has debunked? Then be sure to check out these articles we’ve rounded up that will blow your mind!
- The 3 worst food myths you need to stop believing in now
- The ultimate truth about the 3 biggest vegan protein myths
- This is the truth about the 5 craziest vegan stereotypes
- Quiz: do you know the shocking truth about food waste?
