Halloween Black Cats

Image: Tippity Witchet's Halloween

I have talked about my cat, Hope, before in class. But, I never explained what happened when I got her. It was two years ago, around the end of October. My mom and I wanted to get another cat, so when we saw our local animal shelter had six black kittens, we immediately went to see them. All of them were fully black except for a little female "tuxedo" kitten, who was definitely the one we wanted.

I remember seeing a sign on the door that all the black cats, including the kittens, would not be available for adoption until after October 31st. My mom and I thought this was weird. It was only a week before Halloween, but we wanted our kitten as soon as possible. Out of curiosity, we asked why the black cats were not available for adoption until the 31st. One of the workers said to us, "People will adopt them and sacrifice them because of Halloween."

What? Are you serious? I was absolutely in shock that people would do such a thing. Luckily, the kitten we wanted was considered black and white. So we were able to adopt her earlier.

Why are black cats considered to be bad luck, though? Why are they associated with Halloween? 

I decided to look up the origin of black cats, Halloween, and bad luck. In Western history, black cats have become a symbol of an evil omen. Years ago, after the Pilgrims had arrived to this country, black cats were considered to be companions to witches and other evil spirits. Anyone who was caught with a black cat feared facing execution. Yikes! Who knew black cats were considered to be so bad. Yet, is this the same everywhere else? Or is this something that was brought with European beliefs and religion?

Image: Tippity Witchet's Halloween

In Japan, black cats are considered good luck. Scottish folklore believes that a black cat's arrival to a home is a sign of prosperity. Fishermen would prefer to have a black cat on their boat because of the belief that their supernatural powers would help them get home safe and sound. It's obvious that black cats are not all that bad. So when a black cat crosses you path, don't fret. Who knows, you might be brought good luck! Or maybe the cat is just walking by and nothing will happen.

What do you think?

Information from: Black cat- Wikipedia