The Beautiful Truth About Black Cats

by Dusty Rainbolt

This world has a love-hate relationship the black cat. The gentle little couch panther has a duel identity: to some she’s the portent of doom; to others—their only chance of salvation. But despite all the power the black cats supposedly have, with the exception of the Bombay, they are simply kitties who had the good, or bad, fortune to be born with black fur.

All over the world, cats are associated with luck, both good and ill.  Whether a black cat is good fortune or bad luck depends where she was born.  Unfortunately, black cats have frightful reputations in the United States, Spain and Belgium where they’re portents of destruction associated with witchcraft and the devil, bad luck, evil—the list goes on and on.1 

In the U.S., humane societies and rescue groups struggle to find homes for friendly black strays because of their unearned reputation for havoc.  Their shelters are brimming with abandoned or stray black cats. Is it because they are evil and back luck as so many think? There’s no doubt that people’s fear of the black cat contribute to the numbers who find themselves incarcerated. But there’s something else: Recently genetic researchers have connected the mutation that gives a cat a black coat may also make him  more resistant to disease.2 It’s possible that there are so many black cats because they are the ones that survive. The moral of the story: if you want your kitty to have a long healthy life, consider adopting a one of the many black cats at your local shelter. They’re bound to have a wide selection to choose from.

Contrary to American beliefs, in most countries the white cat foretells misfortune. A British proverb says, “Kiss the black cat, and twill make you fat. Kiss the white and twill make you lean.3

Fortunately, the rest of the world has a much more positive opinion of the coal-coated cats than in the U.S.. In Egypt, Great Britain, Australia and Japan, owning or encountering a black cat is thought to be a portent of good fortune.4

An old English charm promises, “Whenever the cat of the house is black, the lasses of lovers will have no lack.” 5  If a black cat entered a home, she should be welcomed.  Chasing the cat away, assures the luck will leave with her.6 Whether the cat abandons a home or ship of her own accord or someone chases her off, there will be a great disaster there soon.  A bride in southern England whose path is crossed by a black cat will have a happy marriage.  To ensure such an encounter, brides often paid the owner of a black cat.7

King Charles I owned a black cat who he believed cat to be lucky.  He so feared losing his friend that he placed a 24-hour guard around him.  The day after the cat died, Oliver Cromwell's troops arrested the king.  In 1649, Charles was beheaded.8

Although Buddhists respected all types of cats; the home of a dark cat would be blessed with gold, while a light-colored cat attracted silver.9

Black Cats and Sailors

Black cats and mariners have always shared a special relationship.  From early seafaring days, ancient ships have always had at least one cat, not only rodent control, but also for companionship and good luck.  Sailors believed if the ship’s cat approached them, it promised them good fortune.  If the cat came toward them, then changed her mind, trouble was a’coming.10  While any hue of cat provided a vessel with good fortune, a black ship’s cat (with no white hair at all) blessed the ship and everyone aboard it.

Carrying a black cat on board promised to bring Yorkshire fishermen safely home from the seas.  Cats as lucky charms extended well beyond the ship.  Sailor’s wives always had an ebony feline as a pet to keep their husbands safe.  A black cat shortage at the height of the fishing industry boom spawned a black cat-black market in the village of Yorkshire.  Fishermen’s wives had to keep constant watch on their valued raven cats for fear that racketeers would snatch them and sell them to another fisherman’s wife.11

Folklore has long maintained the healing abilities of cats.  People believed that stroking a black cat’s tail cures a sty, and rubbing a black cat’s tail over a wart during the month of May will make the blemish go away.12  Another cat proverb declares, “Brother, put away your groans, bring a black-cat charm to mend your bones.”

The association of the black cat with good luck is believed to have begun with Bastet.  Because the cat saved early Egyptians from famine by controlling the rodent population and asking nothing in return, Pharaoh elevated her from adorable pest control to demigod around 2000 B.C.  Bastet, the Egyptian goddess had the body of a woman and the head of a black cat, was the daughter of the sun god Ra and was the goddess of motherhood, fertility, grace, and beauty, and of course, cats.  It is said that Egyptian courted her favors by keeping black cats in their homes.  They believed that Bastet herself would merge with their pet cat and bless the home with riches and prosperity.13

While the Egyptians love of cats is legendary, they weren’t the only ancients who held the creatures in high esteem.  The Romans portrayed the goddess, Liberty, with a cat at her feet.14 According to Finnish folklore, black cats carry the souls of the dead to the afterworld.

While the Celts believed black cats were reincarnated beings able to foresee the future.  Followers of the Roman goddess Diana deemed the cat divine because Diana once assumed the form of her brother’s black cat.  She, too, was considered the protector or cats.15

So remember next time you decide to adopt a kitty, consider adding a miniature panther to your family. With those lucky, disease-resistant black cats genes, your ebony feline will bestow good fortune on you and your home for many years to come.

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