Perhaps because cats were associated with Egyptian gods and demi gods people have always had a rather biased opinion about cats, it made it easy to believe that they had some secret power or were able to see into other realms.
During the middle ages when the church started the witch hunt and many innocent people, mainly women, were rounded up, given mock trials, tortured and brutally murdered, fear and acceptance of evil spirits was rife.
Cats, who are nocturnal creatures, who love roaming quietly around at night, were soon associated with evil and witches. Some even believing that witches could actually take on the shape of cats and some believed that some cats were reborn witches!
Black cats were particularly targeted and there are many stories of cats being rounded up and burned alive.
Most people believed that the cats were the witches’ familiars, helping the witches with their spells.
Even today black cats are still linked to superstition.
In Asia and in the UK to own a black cat is lucky, however if one crosses your path it is unlucky.
If a black cat walks towards you he brings you luck, if he walks away from you he takes that luck away. (although Pirates believed the opposite! go figure!)
YOU ARE READING
Cats
Non-FictionThe title says it all! Find out what a cat likes to play with, how to look after them, vaccinations, food, allergies and more...
