Black cat and superstition: why it is said to bring bad luck
There are those who, when they see that a black cat is crossing the road, change direction, while other people see for the felines with a dark coat like the night, so much so that they celebrate them on November 17 on the occasion of World Cat Day. animal bring bad luck is a legend born in the Middle Ages, but let's see why it does not find, in reality, any basis. Do you want to know more curiosities about cats? Do not miss this video!
The characteristics of black cats
The black cat is considered a very elegant animal, although this feline is often the focus of legends and superstitions that aim to put it in a bad light. On the other hand, still today there are many people who fear the worst when they see a cat crossing their street.
To be defined as such, the black cat must have single-colored and uniform hair all over the body, without any other shade of different color. There are numerous breeds of black cat in nature but the best known (and appreciated) are the Persian cat, the Bombay and the British breed.
The feline is a predator with very acute eyesight, in fact it tends to go out at night to hunt for food: this explains why this animal has bright and magnetic yellow eyes. They need them to see better in the dark and not miss any prey!
Black cats are endowed with good health, in fact they resist infections and diseases much better than others. Generally they have a sociable, independent, playful and faithful character, however, like all cats, they love freedom.
The history of superstition
The origin of the legend that the black cat is an animal bringing bad luck dates back to the Middle Ages, when men moved in carriages along completely dark streets. It happened, then, that the horses were frightened at the sight of the two yellow eyes of the black cats that came out. all of a sudden, and that they went mad causing accidents, even fatal ones.
Furthermore, around 1200, Pope Gregory IX associated the black cat with witches, giving rise to a merciless hunt both for women accused of witchcraft and for poor felines. Popular tradition, then, has it that they anticipated the arrival of the pirates, as they used to board their ships and travel with them to hunt down the mice in the hold. Hence the idea that black cats brought the arrival of an impending threat.
The countries in which it is believed that the black cat brings bad luck are, among others, the United States, Spain and Italy, however this is not the case in all places. In Scotland, Japan and England, for example, it is a symbol of luck, so much so that having one at home is believed to bring prosperity. In China, on the contrary, many still believe that black cats are carriers of hunger and poverty, while in Latvia if black kittens are born, farmers are hoping for a good harvest. The black cat is, in short, one of the images of the unspeakable fear of death in many cultures, however we know that it is a simple coloring of the hair.
Finally, what is the origin of the legend that wants this feline associated with the devil? Probably because the black is linked to the symbolism of mourning and death, while the intense yellow of its eyes to something monstrous and unnatural. Several studies have shown that this color combination is scary, in fact, psychologists assure us that we are attracted to white animals. Research published in the Open Veterinary Science Journal has shown that black cats, regardless of age, sex or character, they are the ones who are adopted later than all the others.
When the black cat brings good luck
However, dark cats have not been synonymous with devilry in all ages: in ancient Rome, in fact, it was believed that they brought good luck and it was customary to scatter their ashes on the harvest once they died; in ancient Egypt, the black cat and felines in general were adored, so much so that the goddess Bastet was represented as a beautiful black cat or as a cat-headed woman.
There are those who say that dreaming of a black cat is a way of our unconscious to tell us to reconnect with our animal instincts. If we dream it, then, in the depths of us we feel rebellious, independent and courageous like this animal. of the famous children's song "I wanted a black cat"? There is no reason to fear these animals, they are seductive and magnetic.
The tale of the black cat by Edgar Allan Poe
The Anglo-Saxon world loves black cats. In recent years, there has even been a tendency to celebrate Black Cat Day, or the world day of the black cat. The date is November 17, it wants to celebrate the most mistreated feline in history and restore its pride. It is a day entirely dedicated to these animals which, although they are often opposed to dogs, are actually just as sweet.
The figure of the black cat, however, also assumes a prominent place in literature and cinema, but it is the writer Edgar Allan Poe who has made the dark feline a true symbol of fear and terror. Numerous films were made from the story, including "The black cat" by director E. Ulmer, "Two diabolical eyes" by Dario Argento and Romero and "Black Cat. Black cat" by Lucio Fulci.
