Are Black Cats Omens of Misfortune?

1 Black Cats in Folklore

But recently I got curious and searched for info! I found black cats appear mostly in folk superstitions and stories.

Black cat is very similar to the Bombay cat; a black cat with reddish tint is called a xuan cat. But why would a black cat have red? Wikipedia says the red is that pure-black fur looks slightly brown-red in sunlight, more obvious in cats living in the sun long-term!

Although people have always had both good and bad views of black cats, views differ across cultures!

In Chinese culture, black cats are widely seen as auspicious creatures that ward off evil and bring wealth. So ancient wealthy families made wind chimes and ornaments in the shape of black cats!

But some feel black cats can see spirits, so where they appear there are ghosts, and thus they bring bad luck and filth! After all, everyone fears the supernatural~

Cats are nocturnal and roam dark nights. So in Western culture, black cats are seen as witches’ servants, mediums, and symbols of evil and bad luck!

When black cat is mentioned, people link it to witches and witchcraft, so every Halloween decorations, costumes, and party themes include black cats and witches! I never noticed before – thought Halloween was only witches and pumpkins, not black cats~

The black cat was not only an object of religious worship but revered as the goddess Bastet; cats were held in awe. In ancient times, accidentally killing a cat cost a life, and a household shaved their eyebrows in mourning when a pet cat died unexpectedly!

Superstitions like black cats ward off evil, white cats summon ghosts are surely familiar to many!