I
was inspired today to learn about something very special to me. Black
cats. I have an 11 year old black cat named Dexter who is my baby, so
I decided to learn about his kind today. Back in the days of the
Puritans when everyone was on constant witch alert, black cats were
hunted as much as the women! Black cats were thought to be witches
familiars or even the witch herself, hiding in the body of the cat.
Puritians were notoriously frightened by witches or anything they
thought the devil might be hiding in. They were a very paranoid,
jumpy people.
A
bit later in history, black cats got high praise from a very
important person! King Charles the first of England strongly believed
his black cat to be lucky, so much so that he had the cat constantly
guarded. When the cat passed away, King Charles believed his luck had
run out with it. It turns out he was right, he was arrested by
Cromwell and beheaded two years later.
A
place that always thought highly of black cats was something that
surprised me. Apparently, sailors always wanted to travel with a
black cat for luck and to keep their rodents from taking over. There
is a famous black cat called Tiddles, who has traveled over 30,000
nautical miles!
These
days, there are quite a few cultures who still see black cats as
lucky. If you're in Japan and happen to be a single woman with a
black cat, they believe you will get more suitors! There is even a
cafe in Japan to share the love of black cats. It's called
Nekobiyaka, and customers can go in and pet their wide assortment of
black cats!
More
good vibes for black cats, in the UK and Ireland, it's very lucky to
see or own a black cat, especially for important days like weddings.
In Germany, it's lucky if a black cat crosses your path from right to
left. Specifically in Scotland a black cat outside your home will
bring the home prosperity!
Aside
from being lucky in many cultures, black cats are so interesting! I
learned that their coat can actually rust. A black cat who spends a
lot of time in the sun and also has a tabby gene, will stop being
black and turns a rusty brown. The traits cause their pigment in
their fur to break down to a different color! Isn't that cool?
Something
else important, and a great reason to adopt a black cat is the gene
that makes their fur black actually resists diseases like feline
AIDS! How impressive! Also, there are more than 22 breeds of cats
that come in solid black and you can have your pick of beautiful and
smart cats!
Something
I've personally learned as an owner of a black cat and knowing lots
of black cats, they tend to be very vocal! My cat talks to me all the
time. He cries for food, he answers me when I talk to him, he's just
great to have around. I highly recommend adopting a black cat of your
own!
Sources:
Zeigenhorn, Trisha Leigh (2016) 8 Facts About Black Cats, Just in Time for Halloween
Rhodes, Chloe (2012) London, England Michael O'Mara Books Limited
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