Black Cats Superstition Origin
An incarnation of the devil in the middle ages the black cat represented the devil.
Black cats superstition origin. Black cat superstition in Western culture dates back to Ancient Greece. Up until the early Middle Ages other cultures viewed black cats as good luck. In the Middle Ages black cats were believed to be witches familiars and many even believed that black cats were reincarnated witches or messengers of witches or demons.
Before taking the time to learn more about the superstitious history of black cats I thought that they were only considered a sign of bad luck but I quickly discovered that this is not the case. The superstition that black cats are bad luck appears to have originated in Europe in the middle ages during the time when women were being accused of being witches. Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats of every color even black ones.
The belief that black cats were in consort with witches and other agents of evil followed them for centuries. They thought black cats had been the familiars or companions of witches and even witches themselves in. Black cats also became a popular halloween symbol often depicted as riding on the back of witchs broom.
Actually black cat increases power of witches. Black cats appear in the folklore of many more cultures as both good and bad omens. Black Cats werent always the butt of superstitions feared or even considered bad luck.
In ancient Egypt black cats were held in the highest esteem because they resembled Bastet the cat-headed Egyptian goddess of home fertility and protection from disease. I am going to stick my neck out metaphorically speaking and claim that the black cat superstition may have started with a Papal Bull of 1233 made by Pope Gregory IX. Black cats are considered good luck in other parts of the globe as well.
Many shelters refuse to undertake out black cats for concern they are going to be harmed or used as props for customs after which deserted. But somehow over the years black cats got a bad reputation. Black cats superstition origin.