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| Image of a black cat previously owned by this post's writer. |
You may have heard previously that black cats are considered bad luck or that having a black cat cross your path will harbor uncertain doom. This is a culturally constructed idea common among European and North American populations. It is also an idea that has existed for centuries, which is the topic of this blog post. The origins of the black cat as symbol of bad luck will be explored, as well as the differing views of black cats in other cultures.
Black cats were branded minions of Satan (the epitome of all evil with Christian faiths) in 1233. Pope Gregory IX declared it such, sparking a quick change in opinion of these creatures who had been previously viewed benignly up to that point. His declaration not only affected black cats, however. It also marked a shift in views of men but particularly women throughout Europe. His decree also coincided with a long series of witch trials throughout the region. These were used as mechanisms of social control to keep individuals, again, particularly women, in line with the dominant cultural norms of the period and area. Women who did not follow those norms, be it by their own choice or due to circumstances beyond their control, were largely targeted, branded witches, and punished harshly.
Witch trials followed specific processes, beginning with the accusation of an individual as a witch. Accusers were responsible for providing evidence to support their claim, which is where black cats come in. Because of long standing cultural beliefs of the color black being associated with evil and death and Pope Gregory IX’s previous decree black cats found within the vicinity of accused witches was often enough evidence to support the accusation and condemn the “witch”. Over time, this idea morphed into something new. Black cats began to be labeled as either witch’s familiars (companions) who did their bidding for them or were the animal manifestations of witches themselves. These ideas really took hold to catastrophic proportions at the beginning of the Bubonic plague wherein cats, particularly black cats, were viewed as being responsible for the spread of the plague. People killed cats en masse, inadvertently prolonging the Bubonic plague’s spread as it was not cats but rodents that spread the disease. The mass extermination of cats, natural predators to rodents, caused the opposite effect that Europeans desired. This belief also led to killing of black cats as it was believed that doing, followed by the consumption of their corpse, could heal various diseases and ailments (note, it does not!)
The idea that black cats are bad luck was brought to the Americas via religiously devout and highly superstitious European populations, who practiced a variety of superstitious folk magic customs. They did this for the same reasons their European counterparts did: to control the unknown and uncontrollable. The purpose of any superstition is to allow people to regain control of uncontrollable situations wherein they formulate an understanding of the situation based on their beliefs. From there they identify applicable and appropriate solutions. This creates the origins of the superstition and the corresponding superstitious/supernatural solution.
Today, the notion of black cats as bad luck continues, but it is not a cultural universal. There are several cultures that believe that black cats can be harbingers of good luck. For example, in Japan it is believed that a black cat that crosses one’s path brings good luck, but in Germany the direction that the cat comes from when it walks in your path demonstrates either good or bad luck. In Wales and Scotland, a black cat in one’s home can bring wealth and prosperity. Ultimately, there is no evidence to support any of these cultural beliefs as they are all linked back to superstitions, and cats are just cats-good or bad, lucky or unlucky, depending on how one views these animals.
Works Cited
Blue Cross. "Black cat superstition ." 9 September 2020. Blue Cross UK. Electronic. 17 June 2022.
Carnegie Institute. "Superstitions and Black Cats." 2020. Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Electronic. 17 June 2022.
Fatik Baran Mandal, Superstitions: A Culturally Transmitted Human Behavior, International Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 8 No. 4, 2018, pp. 65-69.
Oliver, Harry. Black Cats & Four Leaf Clovers: The Origins of Old Wives' Tales and Superstitions in Our Everyday Lives. United States: Penguin Publishing Group, 2010. Print.
Yuko, Elizabeth. "Why Black Cats Are Associated With Halloween and Bad Luck." 13 October 2021. History.com. Electronic. 17 June 2022.
6 comments:
I always related this topic to the “Black Death”, I was told that back in the middle ages some old pope decided that cats, especially black ones, were in league with the devil. It was also believed that witches were able to take the form of cats. In all honesty, if you're already scared of cats, then black cats are the creepiest. Impossible to see at night, strangely bright eyes, there's so many of them because black is a dominant allele, and yet they all look the same from afar so they may as well all be the same cat.
Khalil Foster
Religion controlled basically everything in the past and some of the information they spread was simply not true. With the technology and information we've gained throughout the years we know that black cats don't really give bad luck it's just a superstition but I could imagine the great phobias this has created of black cats.
When I lived with my parents I got two cats from the humane society and one of them was black and his name was Whiskers (yes he’s passed away) but I never once associated him with bad luck. He was always by my side cuddled up to me or his sister, Charisma. But like the previous comment said, I also think it is just another superstition and it’s whether or not you believe in it.
Sabthana R.
I'm not sure where I got the idea of associating black cats with bad luck but it's something that I have always done growing up and still do to this day. One thing I've always wondered was why black cats specifically were the ones determined to be the unlucky ones. Is it because of their appearance? Did a black cat possibly upset Pope Gregory? A fact that I learned in this article that really surprised me was the fact that black cats played a part in having women identified as witches and being killed. While I feel a bit uneasy around black cats (all cats really), I feel that black cats really are not as bad as they are stereotyped to be.
My cat Sunshine is a black cat so I think it is funny that people think they are bad luck. Though, I wouldn't call myself a very lucky person so maybe that is the fault of my fur ball of love. She is so sweet, so I still love her even if she is cursing me and is a minion of Satan. I like the cultures like Japan that think they are good luck, I like to think my cat is my pure and sweet good luck charm. It is sad though, because some people hate black cats because of this superstition and I've heard of cases of them being killed because of this superstition. No kitties deserve that. Everywhere should be like Japan or Wales and love black cats and all cats because they are nice.
Wow, it's really interesting to learn about the origins of the belief that black cats bring bad luck. It's fascinating how cultural ideas can evolve and impact our perceptions. The connection between black cats and witch trials is quite intriguing. It's unfortunate how these beliefs led to the persecution of individuals, especially women, during that time. It just goes to show how cultural constructs can have far-reaching consequences.
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