Many cultures have superstitions about black cats, often ascribing either "good luck" or "bad luck" to them. Superstition ( Latin superstitio, literally "standing over" derived perhaps from standing in awe used in Latin as a unreasonable or excessive belief Luck (also called fortunity) is a chance happening, or that which happens beyond a person's control. Luck (also called fortunity) is a chance happening, or that which happens beyond a person's control.

The black cat is a felid whose fur is uniformly black. Felidae is the biological family of the cats a member of this family is called a felid.

It is not a particular breed of cat and may be mixed or of a specific breed. The all-black pigmentation is equally prevalent in both male and female cats. The black color is of obvious benefit to a cat hunting at night. In Western history, black cats have often been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens: in other cultures they are considered to be good omens. Black cats have been found to have lower odds of adoption in American shelters compared to other colors (except brown). ^[1]

Historical associations

Witchcraft and superstition

Historically, black cats were symbolically associated with witchcraft and evil. The musical instrument is spelled Cymbal. A symbol is something --- such as an object, Picture, written word a sound a piece Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers Evil, in many cultures is used to describe acts or thoughts which are contrary to some particular religion In Hebrew and Babylonian folklore, cats are compared to serpents, coiled on a hearth. Jewish Mythology is generally the sacred and traditional narratives that help explain and symbolize the Jewish religion whereas Jewish folklore consists of the Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological Serpent is a word of Latin origin (from serpens serpentis "something that creeps snake" that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or In common historic and modern usage a hearth (Har-th is a Brick - or stone -lined Fireplace or Oven used for Cooking and/or Heating The cat was worshipped in Egypt and to kill one was a crime punishable by death. When an Egyptian family's cat died, the cat was mummified and the family went into mourning. Romans, also, considered the cat sacred and introduced the animal into Europe. In most European countries, except Britain and Ireland, a black cat crossing one's path is considered bad luck; they were also seen by the church as associated with witches. Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers Black cats (and sometimes, other animals of the same colour, or even white cats) were sometimes suspected of being the familiars of witches. In Early modern English Superstition, a familiar spirit, Imp, or familiar (from Middle English familiar, related to family Black cats were believed to be shape shifters, that witches could transform into them by saying a spell and travel about doing evil things unnoticed. According to sources witches took such good care of their cats for this reason and it was rumored that they even fed them the blood of babies to stay youthful and agile. As the cat was a form of its witch owner it was believed that by harming a cat you were directly harming its witch. Many also believed that the devil regularly took the form of a black cat. Because of this on holy days, such as Easter, during the Middle Ages black cats were routinely hunted down and burned. By the 17th Century, however, the cat began to be associated with witchcraft and its luck turned from good to bad in many areas around the world. The black cat was still usually seen as good luck; however, in the British Colonies in North America and parts of Europe (e. g. Spain), which saw witch hunts, the association with witches caused them to be considered as bad luck. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. "Witch trial" redirects here For the song by Rush, see Fear series.

In Scotland, a strange black cat on your porch is a sign of upcoming prosperity. In Ireland, when a black cat crosses your path in the moonlight, it means there is going to be an epidemic illness. In Italy hundreds of years ago, it was believed that if a black cat lay on the bed of a sick person, that person would die. Many years ago in England, fishermen's wives kept black cats in their homes while their husbands went away to sea in their fishing boats. They believed that the black cats would prevent danger from occurring to their husbands while they were away. Superstitions centering around the black cat are some of the most widely known and popular superstitions.

In places which saw few witch hunts, black cats retained their status as good luck, and are still considered as such in Britain and Ireland. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world They are also considered to be good luck on ships. ^[2]

However in Romanian and Indian culture, especially in the historical region of Moldavia in Romania and everywhere in India, one of the strongest superstitions still feared by many people is that black cats crossing their path represents bad luck, despite the fact that these regions were never affected by witch hunts or anti-paganism. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania An identical superstition survives also in Central Europe, such as the Czech Republic. There are also still myths and superstitions in America about black cats, and especially their bones, which are believed to hold magical powers. There is an Internet black market for the sale of black cat bones to be used in various ways to bring luck and power to the bearer of the bone.

Anarcho-Syndicalism

Ralph Chaplin created the image of a black cat in a fighting stance, the IWW's symbol of sabotage. Ralph Hosea Chaplin (1887&mdash1961 became a labor Activist, when at the age of seven he saw a worker shot dead during the Pullman strike in Chicago The Industrial Workers of the World ( IWW or the Wobblies) is an international union currently headquartered in Cincinnati Ohio, USA Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy oppressor or employer through subversion obstruction disruption and/or destruction

Since the 1880s, the color black has been associated with anarchism. Events and Trends Technology Development and commercial production of Electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered Certain political parties or positions have become associated with different colours at different times Black is the Color of objects that do not emit or Reflect Light in any part of the Visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i The black cat, in an alert, fighting stance was later adopted as an anarchist symbol. While anarchists have historically largely denied the importance of Symbols to political movement anarchists have embraced certain symbols for their cause

More specifically, the black cat — often called the "sab cat" or "sabo-tabby"^[3] — is associated with anarcho-syndicalism, a branch of anarchism that focuses on workers' rights. Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of Anarchism which focuses on the labour movement. See wildcat strike. A wildcat strike action, often referred to as wildcat strike, is an illegal Strike action taken by labor not authorized by their union officials

In testimony before the court in a 1918 trial of Industrial Workers of the World leaders, Ralph Chaplin, who is generally credited with creating the WWI's black cat symbol, stated that the black cat "was commonly used by the boys as representing the idea of sabotage. The Industrial Workers of the World ( IWW or the Wobblies) is an international union currently headquartered in Cincinnati Ohio, USA Ralph Hosea Chaplin (1887&mdash1961 became a labor Activist, when at the age of seven he saw a worker shot dead during the Pullman strike in Chicago The idea being to frighten the employer by the mention of the name sabotage, or by putting a black cat somewhere around. You know if you saw a black cat go across your path you would think, if you were superstitious, you are going to have a little bad luck. The idea of sabotage is to use a little black cat on the boss. "^[4]

Bohemian culture

Théophile Steinlen's advertisement for the tour of the Chat Noir cabaret

Le Chat Noir (French for "The Black Cat") was a 19th-century cabaret in the notoriously bohemian Montmartre district of Paris. Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, frequently referred to as just Steinlen ( November 10, 1859 – December 13, 1923) was a Le Chat Noir ( French for "The Black Cat" was a 19th-century Cabaret in the bohemian Montmartre district of Paris. Le Chat Noir ( French for "The Black Cat" was a 19th-century Cabaret in the bohemian Montmartre district of Paris. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Cabaret is a form of entertainment featuring Comedy, Song, Dance, and Theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue &mdash a Restaurant Montmartre is a hill (the butte Montmartre) which is 130 metres high giving its name to the surrounding district in the north of Paris in the 18th Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city It was opened on 18 November 1881 at 84 Boulevard Rouchechouart by the artist Rodolphe Salis, and closed in 1897 (much to the disappointment of Picasso and others who looked for it when they came to Paris for the Exposition in 1900). Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

References

• Micklewright, F. H. Amphlett, A Note on the Witch-Familiar in Seventeenth Century England, Folklore, Vol. 58, No. 2 (Jun, 1947) pp. 285-287
• Wedeck, Harry E. A Treasury of Witchcraft: A Sourcebook of the Magic Arts. Avenel, New Jersey: Gramercy Books. 1961.

See also

• Bombay (cat)
• Gobbolino, the Witch's Cat

External links

• Cats, Magic, and Witchcraft
• Black Cat Folklore