Humans liking cats is not new, and cats have captivated humans for centuries. For any human, it’s challenging to ignore the cute, beautiful, and mysterious felines because of their relatively calm personality and innocence.
In this post, we will primarily talk about the most misunderstood group of the feline community, “The Black Cats.” The dark-colored felines have an extensive history of a negative reputation linked to many false notions, beliefs, and superstitions.
The fact is that Black cats are as gentle, harmless, innocent, and intelligent animals as any other cat. We are here to inform you that there is much more to these inky cats than so-called superstitions. Here are some fascinating “black cat facts” and busted myths that will alter your perception of the infamous scary cat.
Table of Contents
1. Black Cat Day
You rarely find any day dedicated to an animal; however, black cats have two days. “Black Cat Appreciation Day” is celebrated on the 17th of August in the USA, and “National Black Cat Day” is celebrated in the UK on the 27th of October.
Both countries’ traditions started in 2011 to show love for black cats and create awareness among general people about false beliefs.
2. Belongs To Multiple Breeds
When we say “Black cat,” That does not signal a particular breed; in fact, no breed with the name “Black Cat” exists. We are talking about black-colored cats that can be of any cat breed. The CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) has listed twenty-two feline breeds that can create an impressive black coat.
The most commonly found breeds in this list are Persians, Norwegian Forest Cats and Ragamuffins, Scottish Folds, and Japanese Bobtails.
Although all these black cats are very distinct appearances, the Bombay cat is the most popular and meets the standards of CFA to appear in shows.
3. Worshipped As Deities
Black cats were sacred in the Egyptian era, and ancient Egyptians worshiped them. Many sculptures have been discovered with a cat’s head or whole feline body, and people used to worship them as Gods.
Their most famous Temples are Bastet, Mafdet, and Sekhmet, which are considered fertility, justice, and powerful deities. The temple of Bastet was the house of thousands of black cats, and harming a cat was a serious crime, having the death penalty.
Cats’ place in their lives was so important that they used to mummify the cats after death. Similar stories are also associated with cats in Celtic cultures.
4. Sign Of Misfortune Or Fortune?
It’s the most intriguing section of the story. Black cats are considered good luck in some parts of the world and signs of bad luck in some other areas.
In some parts of South East Asia, people believe that if a black cat intercepts your way at the start of the journey, postpone your plan, as it is a sign that something terrible will happen on the way.
On the other hand, in Japan, France, and England, black cats are taken as a sign of good fortune and wealth. Scottish people believe a black cat entering your door will bring success and money.
Japanese sailors also take black cats with them, considering that these cats will protect them from seas, storms, and other obstacles.
Pirates believed a black cat walking towards you was a sign of misfortune. A cat that walked away from you meant good fortune, and if a black feline entered the ship and then leaped off, the boat was most likely to sink.
5. Can Help Your Love
In some regions of the world, if a black cat enters your house, you are more likely to meet your loved one or enjoy a good relationship.
According to Japanese culture, single girls keep a black cat in the house, hoping to get better proposals. In the Midlands of the United Kingdom, it is common practice to gift a black cat to a bride, as it is believed to bring happiness and good fortune to the bride’s life.
6. Have More Resistance Against Diseases
After discussing many false beliefs and superstitions, here’s the first scientifically approved fact about black cats.
The stunning black color makes a cat look good and feel good. Scientists believe that black color cats are more resistant to different kinds of diseases than cats of other colors. The mutation that can cause a cat’s fur color to become black is part of the same genetic lineage as the genes that give humans the ability to resist illnesses like HIV. Studies are in progress to entirely understand the cat’s genome, hoping it will help cure HIV in humans.
7. Can Change the Color
Yes, Black cats also have an actual magical ability to change the color of their fur. When a black cat also exhibits the genes of the tabby pattern and likes to spend time in the sunshine, soon, his fur could change to a dark brown or brownish-red hue.
It happens because sun rays break down the pigment responsible for the black color and exposes the tabby stripes. Your elegant black cat is now a rusty brown cat.
8. Dedicated Café For Black Cats
You will be surprised to know that there is a Café in Japan where you can sit, relax and enjoy the company of many Black Cats. They have customized their café for their black cats with trees, high shelves, tunnels, and everything cats need.
You can play with cats, pet, adore and pamper them. The only instruction from the management is not to disturb a sleeping cat and not grab any of them.
9. Golden Eyes
Genetics played a tremendous role; the melanin-producing gene plays an essential role in giving the typical golden yellow or amber color to the eyes of black cats.
The famous Bombay cats were bred to fix this trait; however, many other black cats have golden or amber eye colors. These rare dark cats are indeed unicorns of the feline world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are black cats bad luck?
No, black cats are not bad luck. This superstitious belief has existed for centuries, but it is not based on factual evidence. In fact, black cats are just like any other cat and make great pets. In some different cultures, black cats are considered good luck.
Why are black cats associated with Halloween?
Black cats are often associated with Halloween because of their association with witches in European folklore. Black cats were believed to be the witches’ familiars or animal companions and were thought to possess magical powers.
What breeds of cats can be black?
Several different breeds of cats can be black, including:
Bombay: This breed was created to look like a miniature panther with black fur and bright yellow eyes.
Oriental Shorthair: This breed comes in various colors, including black.
Domestic Shorthair: This is the most common cat breed in the United States, and black is a standard color.
Do black cats shed more than other cats?
No, black cats do not shed more than other cats. The amount a cat sheds is primarily determined by their breed and individual genetics, not the color of their fur.
How can I adopt a black cat?
There are several ways to adopt a black cat, including:
Visiting your local animal shelter: Many shelters have black cats for adoption.
Contacting a breed-specific rescue organization: If you are looking for a specific breed of the black cat, rescue organizations may specialize in that breed.
Working with a reputable breeder: If you are interested in a purebred black cat, you can work with a reputable breeder to find the right kitten for you.
Conclusion
The old beliefs and superstitions associated with cats are diminishing over time. And data collected from shelter houses also reveals that the adoption rate of black cats has increased during the last decade.
Black cats signify good luck; it all depends on how you look at things. They are helping to fight off deadly illnesses and continue to enrich cat owners’ lives across the globe.
Do you live with a black cat? If that’s the case, let us know their personality in the comments. Thanks for reading!
My Elvis is the most adorable black cat.He is 7 months today.He had a fracture 3 weeks before and after that he seems to be moody , even after removal of the plaster.We ate worried.
i took in a black kitten. she is the light of my life. she doesnt meow really. she chirps.
Our black kitten chirps too! But she’s now started to meow for food… she chirps to birds and fly’s!
We have a black cat who is absolutely adorable and extremely smart and very loveable. He loves to be pampered and spoilt.
My black cat Panther is adorable and very smart and quiet ! He does not meow loud ! He is my baby love him so much ! Lucky to have him !
My cat Rosie is 12 yes. She was adopted with her sister who is a tuxedo. Rosie is the head of the house and protects me by standing guard in whatever room I’m in til I’m done. She loves to sleep on my chest everyday. She doesn’t like company as long as I am around she’s OK.
My cat Pooky was the smartest cat I ever had. She was an amazing dainty black cat with white fur underneath, and a white bib. Otherwise all black. The best cat of all.
This is my second black cat. Though my cat boys never knew each other as the first fella passed many years before I acquired my second, they are so identical in looks & behaviors it’s freaky Same personalities Wildly independant & cantankerous in their youth but find my current mini panther is finally starting to become ” user friendly ” at age 12 Tho he is wildly independant, he has now achieved his mellow stage in life & allows me to pet & cuddle him but on his terms only He’s my buddy & gives great meaning to my life.
My black cat Pretty Girl would kiss me on the lips once every day. The day she passed away she kissed me five times at one time. Such a precious loving creature from God who just walked into my yard and life one day from I know not where. She loved me every day we shared. I miss her so much.
I have a black cat called Luna and shes so cute. Everyone says shes got a lovely nature. Although she does rule the house. We have another cat called mittens, but hes black and white. They are both from the same litter, but poor mittens hardly ever gets a look in when Lunas about. I think shes the boss and Mittens knows it. They both have their own characteristics and we love them to bits.
He’s always been exceptionally intelligent and inquisitive, as well as extremely loving and playful. He loves attention and showing off,especially when he’s caught a mouse or bird. Very fussy eater and will let me know when he wants treats, food, play etc. I love him so very much, he has been and continues to be much more than just a pet.
We have an amazing black cat called Stanley. He is very independent but adores his family. Very intelligent. To come into the house he rattles the letterbox like he is knocking on the door. When he wants feeding he will not give in until somebody does as he asks. He chooses which bed he wants to sleep on but much prefers our youngest son.
Our car Sooty is completely black he is a very chatty cat and answers back to you when you talk to him. He follows me everywhere around the house, wherever I go he is always there by me but he isn’t a lap cat and hates being picked up!
I miss my Kaloo he was my buddy.
My first cat moonbear was a black boy. He was beautiful and was a wedding gift from my husband. He lived to the age of 19 we lost Jim in 2020 he was a velcro cat he loved nothing better than to be carried around with you wherever you went. He was a loving cat and very sweet. I now have 4 other cats 2 of which are black a large male called raven who is a soft daffty and poppy who is a tiny delicate black girl who’s so spicy to my husband he swears she hates him she is so loving to me though. I also have a tabby girl beebee and Ravens littermate lex who’s a white n grey boy.
Love that name Beebee
We had an adorable black cat. But unlike what you say in your article, his eyes were a glorious turquoise, not golden
My Annabelle is a long haired beauty that sashays imperiously when she walks. Her tail swishes constantly as she escorts me to the bathroom. Her duties include Bay Watch, ( Sitting in our bay window), drinking from the tap in the kitchen sink, walking across the table to get my attention while I’m solving a crossword, following me to the back room off the kitchen to lay on our chest freezer. She loves to wrestle and doesn’t use her claws.
My black cat Jet lived 18 years. She was a magic cat, immediately finding her deserved place in my family and home. She knew my family members immediately, as though she’d known us all before. She was my constant companion, even when I married and my husband brought dogs and other cats into our lives. Her favorite place to snuggle was in my arms, lying on my chest, with our faces close together. In her last months, she forsook her favorite cozy spots in order to be close to me. Even when her hearing and sight grew dim, she never startled when I reached for her. She was my spirit animal, making me a believer in such things. I grieved her passing, but felt her comfort then, as I do now. She’s only a thought away from me.
We’ve had three black cats, one at a time. All three were athletic, climbers, preferring sitting on top of wood fence posts, or balancing on barn rafters, or stealth stances in trees above your head as if planning a panther-like attack. All three ruled over dogs by intimidation. All three ran like cheetas in our fields. The last cat, Tazz, would sit for hours under a sage bush waiting for a gopher. He wasn’t interested in birds but he was passionate for rodents. Flying squirrels, bays, gophers, shrews, a mole, chipmunks, a rabbit too. Yes, he brought every one of them to me. He got entangled with a fish lure that had connected his paw to his lip, he slid off of a 40 ft high barn metal roof, he got locked in an RV storage area and when the RV driver heard him, he stopped and opened the door and Tazz ran off into the countryside. 9 weeks later he arrived home into my arms!
So many stories with Tazz.
We have a about 3 month old house panther. Luna is in the teething stage as anything that moves is biteable. Toes fingers ect
But she can also be very loving.
I miss my Nyte very much
I rescued 12 cats in the last 20 years but he was my boy
He died last year and I still cry for him he was creamated and I still can’t touch his ashes lord help me I miss him I the other cats and I love them but when I go out I still look for a small black cat on the side of the road.
Our black cat Meowmers is about 19-20 pounds, but she’s the most gentle cat I’ve ever seen. She loves being brushed (and obviously loves to eat!). She will purr non-stop while being brushed – she’s a regular purrball.
I have 2 black cats…I rescued from the parking lot at work …2 different times…I am blessed to be their Mommy…lucky me…And I have 3 more rescued the same way..ppl dumped there…love my 5 fur babies
My Misha is a beautiful black cat, and I love her to bits.
She is very independent, as are most cats, and she will only do what she wants to do, when she wants to do it. She is our baby girl. She has 2 human siblings, who also love her very much.
I have a mini panther, around 15 years old. She loves to share whatever I’m eating. She can be asleep in the other end of the house, hears my potato chip bag and is immediately on me. She is demanding, but, loves me so much. She tolerates my son and my husband.
Sounds like a lovely kitty 🙂
I owe 7 black cats. I have 12 total but 7 black beauties!!! They are the sweetest cats and always want love!!
I have a large black cat named tommy he’s. my gard cat and he’s a lady’s man as he dislikes men but let a woman come into the house and he will make it a point to get close to them so they can give him belly rubs and pets,anyone else will get their hand ripped off but he is a big love bug to me and the rest of the family. Love him to pieces♥️