There is an enormous amount of myth and folklore surrounding black cats. In medieval times it was commonly believed that if you deliberately killed a black cat you would forfeit your soul to the devil; while in Scandinavia the Norse goddess of love and fertility Freya travelled in a chariot pulled by two black cats. Let’s hope she was a wee slip of a thing or they were huge black panthers! In the UK some people believe it is good luck when a black cat crosses your path but in the US it is considered bad luck. In Japan a single lady owning a black cat is said to have an increased number of suitors and some black cats are enshrined in maritime history, like Tiddles who travelled thousands of miles on British Navy vessels keeping them free of mice. Fancy being named Tiddles, it’s a little embarrassing for a tough guy! None of it makes sense to me and its superstitious hooey, as we all know that colour is only fur deep. An excessive amount of melanin is what causes fur to be black; it’s the opposite of albinism and gives our eyes that golden hue. Black fur turns reddish brown with exposure to the sun and goes grey with age like humans do. My black cat friend Tiffin is about to turn 9 and wasn’t happy when I mentioned she was getting a white beard!
My message to you at this time is that black cats are in danger and should be kept indoors on Halloween night or weekend and the days leading up to it because we are targets for abuse by thoughtless individuals who associate us with witchcraft. In fact throughout the Middle Ages and the so-called Age of Enlightenment black cats were actively persecuted as part of the measures taken by Christian cultures to eliminate any links to paganism. All this because our coats are the colour of night and night was associated with evil doings. This Halloween night make your celebrations fun and light-hearted and be sure to dress up in comical costumes and eat ghoulish treats. I don’t mind wearing a scarf or a funny hat for a few minutes to entertain John but many other cats would find it stressful. The coming and going of trick-or-treaters can make it easy for cats and kittens to slip out through the door especially if they’re trying to escape the noise and naked flames on candles could be a hazard. Now I’ve done my bit for black cat-kind, take care and have fun and enjoy the photos of all these lovely black cats. Can you pick out which ones are me?
shadthecat 