The mystery behind black cats

by Lauren Crowell, 12

With Halloween right around the corner, you may have noticed that black cats are quite the spooky symbol. A black cat plays an important role in the beloved movie Hocus Pocus, and we see them used as decoration in our local Halloween displays. You may see one run across the street and hear someone say, “That’s bad luck!”

The superstition of crossing paths with a black cat bringing bad luck is one of the oldest in the books, but how true is it?  According to History.com, the relationship between humans and black cats can be traced as far back as ancient Egypt. The cats were considered divine symbols.

In Greek mythology, Hecate, the goddess of magic, sorcery, the moon, and witchcraft, was believed to have had black cat as not only a pet, but a familiar. This would mean the cat would assist the witch, according to the folklore of the time. Eventually, black cats would be singled out for seemingly no reason. Some people say that it’s because of the ancient European fear of the dark.

On June 13th of 1233, Pope Gregory IX declared the black cat an incarnation of Satan. This was declared because of the folklore of the relationship between witches and black cats.

The Christian church felt competition between themselves and witches. The church began witch hunts, and would persecute, torture and kill witches in vast numbers. Over time, the affection between the human and animal was seen as devilish.

It was believed that witches, as well as the devil, would take the form of a black cat. No one wants to cross paths with the devil, so it’s no surprise that the superstition of a black cat crossing your path would be a bad omen.

But the idea that black cats are bad luck isn’t universal. In fact, some cultures believe that black cats bring good luck. Their resemblance to the cat-goddess Bastet led them to be honored in ancient Egypt. In other countries, such as Scotland and Japan, they have been known to represent prosperity. Apparently, whether a black cat is viewed as a benevolent creature or an evil supernatural force is entirely based on whichever lore one is likely to embrace.