What’s the association between black cats and Halloween.
It doesn’t help that I am not a fan of halloween or things that go bump in the night. I am however, curious about what started the fascination of associating black cats and the mysterious holiday.
Black cats have long served as objects of superstition. In Medieval France and Spain, black cats were associated with witches and thought to bring bad luck and curses to people whose paths they crossed from left to right. However, black cats have actually served as symbols of good luck in numerous cultures. They are often believed to bring affluence to any house they occupied in the British Islands. And in anchient Japan and Egypt, black cats were worshipped as sacred.
How did black cats come to be associated with Halloween in the United States? It seems to have started with the Puritan Pilgrims. They came to America with strong feelings of distrust about anything associated with magic and sorcery, including and especially black cats. Before long cats had become cemented in popular legend right alongside witches. Decorators use them as a Halloween symbol, both alongside witches and independently, to add a frightful, unnerving ambience to their front steps, their green eyes spooking trick-or-treaters.
If you’re really feeling inspired about receiving Halloween treats this year, consider adopting a black cat from an animal shelter or rescue service. Studies have shown that black cats are much less likely to be adopted compared with other fur colors. By adopting a black cat, you may rescue an animal who may otherwise not have found a loving owner. You may need to go a day before or after the holiday because some shelters will not adopt-out a black cate on Halloween. Malicious owners have been known to use them just for the ambiance and then discard or return them in worst shape