The beautiful black cat. They have been associated with bad luck, witches and evil. You’ve heard the old wives tale that if you cross paths with a black cat that bad luck will surely follow. But where did this superstition come from?
As an Animal Communicator, I can’t help but feel sorry for the reputation of the black cat. How did the black cat go from being worshipped, loved and a part of a collective that was considered a divine symbol in ancient Egypt to an evil being connected to Satan?
It is common to read how often cats appeared in Greek mythology. One myth suggests that Hecate, the Greek Goddess of sorcery, magic, and witchcraft, was the guardian of a cat. But this cat was more than just a cat! This cat was also a familiar! A familiar is viewed as a demon in
disguise and were rumored to assist witches with their super natural powers.
But myths aside, the black cat can be traced to the Celtic festival Samhain, which was held every year on October 31st. This festival marked the close of a bountiful harvest season and the start of the long winter.
It is believed that the Cat Sith (a fairy creature in the form of a black cat with a white spot on the chest) would bless the house of anyone who left him some milk. But, the home would be cursed if there was no milk left out.
Fast forward to the 13th Century when the Pope declared the black cat as an incarnation of Satan and an “idol of witches.” This declaration was listed in a church document called the “Vox in Rama”, a decree published in June of 1233 denouncing Luciferian in Germany, a form of
Satan worship.
Millions of cats were eliminated over the next few hundred years as a result of this decree. This condemnation of the black cat also spawned the beginning of the inquisition and church sanctioned witch hunts which spread quickly through Europe and eventually in Salem.
But did you know the witches started becoming popular before the persecutions began? The witches worked with energy, honored the natural world and held a deep respect for the animals and plants. They were healers. And although the Church in Europe and the early Christians co-
existed with the witches, the church saw this popularity as a threat. As a result, the church started the witch hunts that included torturing and killing many innocent souls.
In addition, the church saw the relationship between animal and human as evil and any old woman with a cat became a suspect. People were afraid that these cats were familiars and assisted these old women in their “evil” ways. Some people even believed that the women could
shape shift into the black cat. Perhaps you already know that this is where the term “cat lady” originated from?
But thanks to the waning puritanical movements in the 18th century, fears started to decrease and people started viewing the black cat differently. Edgar Allen Poe even published a short story “The Black Cat” that helped change the perceptions that people held about the black cat. And although black cats are frequently depicted in horror films to this day, since World War II, they have become the symbol for Halloween, but now as good luck.
Do you have a black cat in your life?
Author: Cate Coffelt http://bestamericanpsychics.com/listing/cate-coffelt
Sources:
Why Black Cats Are Associated With Halloween and Bad Luck. (2023, August 11). In The History Channel. https://www.history.com/news/black-cats-superstitions
Why Are Black Cats Associated with Halloween?. (2023, August 11). In The Litter Robot. https://www.litter-robot.com/blog/how-did-black-cats-become-halloween-symbols/
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