Black cat superstitions
The folklore surrounding black cats varies from culture to culture.
In Great Britain, black cats are a symbol of good luck. The Scottish believe that a strange black cat's arrival to the home signifies prosperity. Black cats are also good luck in Japan.
Furthermore, it is believed that a lady who owns a black cat will have many suitors.
However in Western history, black cats have often been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens, specifically being suspected of being the familiars of witches, and so most of western and southern Europe considers the black cat as a symbol of bad luck, especially if one crosses paths with a person, which is believed to be an omen of misfortune and death.
In Germany, some believe that black cats crossing a person's path from right to left, is a bad omen. But from left to right, the cat is granting favorable times.
The gambling world is afraid of black cats: it is believed that if, while traveling to a casino, a black cat crosses a gambler's road or path, that person should not go to the casino; most players believe that black cats bring bad luck.
The black cat in folklore has been able to change into human shape to act as a spy or courier for witches or demons. When the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, they brought with them a devout faith in the Bible. They also brought a deepening suspicion of anything deemed of the devil. Englanders and Europeans, these pilgrims were a deeply suspicious group. They viewed the black cat as a companion, or a familiar to witches. Anyone caught with a black cat would be severely punished or even killed. They viewed the black cat as part demon and part sorcery.
During the Middle Ages, these superstitions led people to kill black cats. This had the unintended consequence of increasing the rat population and the spread of the Black Death (bubonic plague) and other diseases carried by rodents. There is no evidence from England of regular large-scale massacres of "satanic" cats, or of burning them in midsummer bonfires, as sometimes occurred in Europe.
However, the supernatural powers ascribed to black cats were sometimes viewed positively, for example sailors considering a "ship's cat" would want a black one because it would bring good luck. Sometimes, fishermen's wives would keep black cats at home too, in the hope that they would be able to use their influence to protect their husbands at sea (see Ship's cat).
The view of black cats being favorable creatures is attributed specifically to the Egyptian goddess Bast (or Bastet), the cat goddess. Egyptian households believed they could gain favor from Bastet by hosting black cats in their household. This view was held in the early 17th Century by the English monarch Charles I. Upon the death of his treasured pet black cat, he is said to have lamented that his luck was gone. True to his claim, he was arrested the very next day and charged with high treason.
Pirates of the 19th Century believed that a black cat would bring different kinds of luck. If a black cat walks towards someone, that person will have bad luck. If a black cat walks away from someone then that person will have good luck. If a black cat walks onto a ship and then walks off it, the ship is doomed to sink on its next trip.
Black cats have been found to have lower odds of adoption in American and also in Europen shelters compared to other colors (except brown).
If you are thinking about adopting a cat please don't overlook black cats because they are just as loving & wonderful as lighter colored cats!
In Great Britain, black cats are a symbol of good luck. The Scottish believe that a strange black cat's arrival to the home signifies prosperity. Black cats are also good luck in Japan.
Furthermore, it is believed that a lady who owns a black cat will have many suitors.
However in Western history, black cats have often been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens, specifically being suspected of being the familiars of witches, and so most of western and southern Europe considers the black cat as a symbol of bad luck, especially if one crosses paths with a person, which is believed to be an omen of misfortune and death.
In Germany, some believe that black cats crossing a person's path from right to left, is a bad omen. But from left to right, the cat is granting favorable times.
The gambling world is afraid of black cats: it is believed that if, while traveling to a casino, a black cat crosses a gambler's road or path, that person should not go to the casino; most players believe that black cats bring bad luck.
The black cat in folklore has been able to change into human shape to act as a spy or courier for witches or demons. When the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, they brought with them a devout faith in the Bible. They also brought a deepening suspicion of anything deemed of the devil. Englanders and Europeans, these pilgrims were a deeply suspicious group. They viewed the black cat as a companion, or a familiar to witches. Anyone caught with a black cat would be severely punished or even killed. They viewed the black cat as part demon and part sorcery.
During the Middle Ages, these superstitions led people to kill black cats. This had the unintended consequence of increasing the rat population and the spread of the Black Death (bubonic plague) and other diseases carried by rodents. There is no evidence from England of regular large-scale massacres of "satanic" cats, or of burning them in midsummer bonfires, as sometimes occurred in Europe.
However, the supernatural powers ascribed to black cats were sometimes viewed positively, for example sailors considering a "ship's cat" would want a black one because it would bring good luck. Sometimes, fishermen's wives would keep black cats at home too, in the hope that they would be able to use their influence to protect their husbands at sea (see Ship's cat).
The view of black cats being favorable creatures is attributed specifically to the Egyptian goddess Bast (or Bastet), the cat goddess. Egyptian households believed they could gain favor from Bastet by hosting black cats in their household. This view was held in the early 17th Century by the English monarch Charles I. Upon the death of his treasured pet black cat, he is said to have lamented that his luck was gone. True to his claim, he was arrested the very next day and charged with high treason.
Pirates of the 19th Century believed that a black cat would bring different kinds of luck. If a black cat walks towards someone, that person will have bad luck. If a black cat walks away from someone then that person will have good luck. If a black cat walks onto a ship and then walks off it, the ship is doomed to sink on its next trip.
Black cats have been found to have lower odds of adoption in American and also in Europen shelters compared to other colors (except brown).
If you are thinking about adopting a cat please don't overlook black cats because they are just as loving & wonderful as lighter colored cats!
General cat superstitions
A cat is very often kept as a lucky mascot in the theatre and disaster strikes any actor who dares to kick it!
In Normandy, seeing a tortoiseshell cat foretells death by accident.
English schoolchildren believe seeing a white cat on the way to school is sure to bring trouble. To avert bad luck, they must either spit, or turn around completely and make the sign of the cross.
A cat sneezing is a good omen for everyone who hears it. ~Italian superstition
If a cat washes behind its ears, rain is coming. ~English superstition
A cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under means old weather ahead. ~English superstition
It is bad luck to cross a stream carrying a cat. ~French superstition
Never kick a cat or you will get rheumatism; never drown one or the devil will get you. Throughout the world it is considered to be bad luck to mistreat a cat. This worldwide respect for the cat is probably rooted in those ancient religions in which the cat was a sacred animal and where retribution would befall those who harmed it.
In Scotland in 1590, the witch John Fian and other members of his coven, were charged with having raised or attempted to raise a storm, so as to drown King James VI of Scotland (and the First of England) then returning from Denmark. Fian and his accomplices used cats, by flinging them into the sea, to effect their devilish purpose.
In what was known as Bohemia, in western Czechoslovakia, the cat is regarded as a symbol of fertility and one buried in a field of grain will guarantee a good harvest.
The Japanese prefer their own native short-tailed cat - the Japanese Bobtail - because they are less likely to bewitch humans. Japanese sailors have long taken tricoloured or me'kay cats on their ships to bring them good luck. The figure of a cat with its left paw raised is commonly seen in gift shops in that country, where they are sold as souvenirs. It is believed that the beckoning cat brings good fortune to its owner.
Sailors believe that if a ship's cat mews and appears to be cross, they will face a hard voyage - but if it is bright and lively, there will be a brisk "following" wind. It used to be said that a contrary wind at sea could be raised by shutting a cat in a canister. Throwing a cat overboard resulted in an immediate storm. No sailor would dream of doing this, however, since it was considered good luck to have a cat on board.
It is said that in the southern regions of France, if a young unmarried girl accidentally steps on a cat's tail, she will have to wait twelve months before she finds a husband.
A celtic belief was that kittens born in May were badly behaved and troublesome. In Celtic mythology, the month of May was a time of ill-omen.
Occult powers are often attributed to cats. It is said that they also have the power of hypnotism. A cat with three different hues in its coat protect one against fire and fever.
An American hill country superstition says that a cat can decide whether or not a girl should get married. The debating bride-to-be takes three hairs from the cat's tail and wraps them in paper, which she then places under her door step. If in the morning, the cat hairs are arranged in a Y pattern, the answer is Yes,but if the hairs form the letter N, the answer is no.
It is said that to dream of cats is unfavourable as this denotes treachery. In Tasseography - fortune-telling by tea leaves - a cat signifies false friends and deceit; someone lies in treacherous ambush, probably a false friend.
If the household cat sneezes near the bride on her wedding morning, the marriage will be a happy one.
When a cat washes its face in the parlour, company can be expected.
It is said that a cat looking out of the window is looking for rain.
In America, black and white and also grey cats are considered to be lucky.
It is unlikely to hear a cat crying before setting off on a journey. If this happens, return and find out what it wants.
No cat which has been bought will ever be any good at catching mice.
Indonesians and Malays believe that if you wash your cat it will bring rain.
In Western Europe it is widely believed that if a cat washes over its ears, it is a sign of rain.
When cats rush about wildly, clawing at curtains and cushions, it means that wind is coming.
When cats sit with their back to the fire, look out for frost or a storm.
Source
In Normandy, seeing a tortoiseshell cat foretells death by accident.
English schoolchildren believe seeing a white cat on the way to school is sure to bring trouble. To avert bad luck, they must either spit, or turn around completely and make the sign of the cross.
A cat sneezing is a good omen for everyone who hears it. ~Italian superstition
If a cat washes behind its ears, rain is coming. ~English superstition
A cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under means old weather ahead. ~English superstition
It is bad luck to cross a stream carrying a cat. ~French superstition
Never kick a cat or you will get rheumatism; never drown one or the devil will get you. Throughout the world it is considered to be bad luck to mistreat a cat. This worldwide respect for the cat is probably rooted in those ancient religions in which the cat was a sacred animal and where retribution would befall those who harmed it.
In Scotland in 1590, the witch John Fian and other members of his coven, were charged with having raised or attempted to raise a storm, so as to drown King James VI of Scotland (and the First of England) then returning from Denmark. Fian and his accomplices used cats, by flinging them into the sea, to effect their devilish purpose.
In what was known as Bohemia, in western Czechoslovakia, the cat is regarded as a symbol of fertility and one buried in a field of grain will guarantee a good harvest.
The Japanese prefer their own native short-tailed cat - the Japanese Bobtail - because they are less likely to bewitch humans. Japanese sailors have long taken tricoloured or me'kay cats on their ships to bring them good luck. The figure of a cat with its left paw raised is commonly seen in gift shops in that country, where they are sold as souvenirs. It is believed that the beckoning cat brings good fortune to its owner.
Sailors believe that if a ship's cat mews and appears to be cross, they will face a hard voyage - but if it is bright and lively, there will be a brisk "following" wind. It used to be said that a contrary wind at sea could be raised by shutting a cat in a canister. Throwing a cat overboard resulted in an immediate storm. No sailor would dream of doing this, however, since it was considered good luck to have a cat on board.
It is said that in the southern regions of France, if a young unmarried girl accidentally steps on a cat's tail, she will have to wait twelve months before she finds a husband.
A celtic belief was that kittens born in May were badly behaved and troublesome. In Celtic mythology, the month of May was a time of ill-omen.
Occult powers are often attributed to cats. It is said that they also have the power of hypnotism. A cat with three different hues in its coat protect one against fire and fever.
An American hill country superstition says that a cat can decide whether or not a girl should get married. The debating bride-to-be takes three hairs from the cat's tail and wraps them in paper, which she then places under her door step. If in the morning, the cat hairs are arranged in a Y pattern, the answer is Yes,but if the hairs form the letter N, the answer is no.
It is said that to dream of cats is unfavourable as this denotes treachery. In Tasseography - fortune-telling by tea leaves - a cat signifies false friends and deceit; someone lies in treacherous ambush, probably a false friend.
If the household cat sneezes near the bride on her wedding morning, the marriage will be a happy one.
When a cat washes its face in the parlour, company can be expected.
It is said that a cat looking out of the window is looking for rain.
In America, black and white and also grey cats are considered to be lucky.
It is unlikely to hear a cat crying before setting off on a journey. If this happens, return and find out what it wants.
No cat which has been bought will ever be any good at catching mice.
Indonesians and Malays believe that if you wash your cat it will bring rain.
In Western Europe it is widely believed that if a cat washes over its ears, it is a sign of rain.
When cats rush about wildly, clawing at curtains and cushions, it means that wind is coming.
When cats sit with their back to the fire, look out for frost or a storm.
Source
Cats were put into the world to disprove the dogma that all things were created to serve man.
~ Paul Gray ~
~ Paul Gray ~
Black dog syndrome
Black Dog Syndrome is a phenomenon that is well known to shelter workers and rescue organizations across Europe. Black dogs are much more difficult to find homes for. They are the last dogs to find homes and often among the first to be euthanized, or have to live the rest of their lives in captivity in amonotonous and cramped enclosures.
Many people who are not involved in dog rescue have a hard time believing that black dogs are so much harder to place than dogs of other colors. Some people think that Black Dog Syndrome doesn't exist at all. Others think that the only reason there are more black dogs in shelters than dogs of other colors is because black is the genetically dominant color for many breeds.
There is some validity to the claim that there are more black dogs in shelters because there are more black dogs in the world. However, this does not explain why it is much harder to find homes for the black dogs than for dogs of other coat colors. Shelters workers and rescue volunteers can quickly and easily tell countless stories of wonderful dogs who were impossible to find homes for because of no reason other than the color of their coat.
There are no hard facts to help explain Black Dog Syndrome, but their are many theories on why black dogs are the last ones to be adopted.
Superstition
In southern and eastern Europe is an old superstition and belief about vampires and black dogs, somehow, are related. The common superstition about black cats has a huge impact on the ability of a black cat to get adopted. This superstition impacts also to the black dogs. A theory on why black dogs have a harder time getting adopted is due to superstitions equating black dogs with death, evil or bad luck. In any case, superstitions are just superstitions.
A dogs coat color has no affect on the dogs temperament and personality. Black dogs are just as playful and loving and fun as dogs of other colors. When adopting your next best friend, please be aware that Black Dog Syndrome is real and you may have a tendancy to overlook the black dogs. Take a second look and make an effort to see ALL of the dogs available. Make your decision based soley on the dog that will be the best fit for your family regardless of the color of his coat.
The general European citizen is not aware of how doomed black dogs are when they are brought to a pound because black dogs, particularly black labs or lab mixes, are euthanized at a horrifying rate at many pounds & shelters because people pass them up for lighter colored dogs.
If you are thinking about adopting a dog please don't overlook black dogs because they are just as loving & wonderful as lighter colored dogs!
Many people who are not involved in dog rescue have a hard time believing that black dogs are so much harder to place than dogs of other colors. Some people think that Black Dog Syndrome doesn't exist at all. Others think that the only reason there are more black dogs in shelters than dogs of other colors is because black is the genetically dominant color for many breeds.
There is some validity to the claim that there are more black dogs in shelters because there are more black dogs in the world. However, this does not explain why it is much harder to find homes for the black dogs than for dogs of other coat colors. Shelters workers and rescue volunteers can quickly and easily tell countless stories of wonderful dogs who were impossible to find homes for because of no reason other than the color of their coat.
There are no hard facts to help explain Black Dog Syndrome, but their are many theories on why black dogs are the last ones to be adopted.
Superstition
In southern and eastern Europe is an old superstition and belief about vampires and black dogs, somehow, are related. The common superstition about black cats has a huge impact on the ability of a black cat to get adopted. This superstition impacts also to the black dogs. A theory on why black dogs have a harder time getting adopted is due to superstitions equating black dogs with death, evil or bad luck. In any case, superstitions are just superstitions.
A dogs coat color has no affect on the dogs temperament and personality. Black dogs are just as playful and loving and fun as dogs of other colors. When adopting your next best friend, please be aware that Black Dog Syndrome is real and you may have a tendancy to overlook the black dogs. Take a second look and make an effort to see ALL of the dogs available. Make your decision based soley on the dog that will be the best fit for your family regardless of the color of his coat.
The general European citizen is not aware of how doomed black dogs are when they are brought to a pound because black dogs, particularly black labs or lab mixes, are euthanized at a horrifying rate at many pounds & shelters because people pass them up for lighter colored dogs.
If you are thinking about adopting a dog please don't overlook black dogs because they are just as loving & wonderful as lighter colored dogs!
