There are a lot of superstitions about cats, but it wasn't until I moved to this little mountain community that I realized many people still believe them.
We are 'cat' people, and many of our neighbors think that we are a little bit odd because of it. Of course, they may think that for other reasons, too, LOL!
Most are especially leary of our two black cats, as a lot of them seem to associate them with witches. A neighbor recently commented to me "You sure do have a lot of black animals", like it was something very strange. (We have two black cats, one black dog, and several black chickens).
A few years ago, when the man came to assess our house for fire insurance, he stopped in the middle of the kitchen and stared at our cat, Brina.Finally he said, "You have a black cat?" (Like she had just appeared there on her own!). I finally had to pick her up and put her outside, as he seemed too afraid to look at the rest of the house! It was a very odd experience.
It is good luck for a stray black cat to visit your home, but bad luck if it decides to take of residence there.
It is bad luck to cross a black cat's trail. So if one crosses the road in front of you, you must turn around and find another way to get where you were going. (A neighbor told my mother that he would never, ever run over a black cat, even if he had to run off the road!).
It is very bad luck to kill a cat. (I'm thankful for this one!).
And surprisingly, it is very bad luck to be photographed with a cat!
Do you know any superstitions about cats? And do you know any people that are still superstitious about them?
That's funny that man was afraid of your black cat! At the animal clinic where I work we have 2 black ones that live there and the clients love seeing them, now the one is very anti-social so she mostly stays hidden, but the other one will go right out and lay on the front counter, he's the weird one too, lol!
ReplyDeleteAround here, if a black cat runs in front of you, you are supposed to make the sign of an "X" in the air in front of you, like toward the windshield of the car.
ReplyDeleteWe've always had black cats around in the yard and don't think they are bad luck.... hey wait a minute, that may be the problem... LOL.
I can remember, as a kid, riding in the car and seeing the adult driving make an X on the windshield, whenever a black cat would run across the road. I have not seen anyone do that in years now, but I'll bet there are plenty of old people who still do!
ReplyDeleteNow, that is some strong superstition for the assesser feller!
ReplyDeleteI've often heard that if one crosses your path while driving to make a cross with your finger on the windshield, to ward off the bad luck.
I've read a few blogs lately though that consider them good luck...teehee!
I don't know any superstitions about cats.
ReplyDeleteI do know, the humane society, in ST Louis, told one of my girls that black dogs are almost never adopted. I don't know the reason. You cannot imagine how frightened people have been, with Molly. She is apt to drool all over them and give them a big slurpy kiss; that's as violent as she gets! But they always look at her like she might do something to them.
I'm really enjoying these posts, thanks Rosemary!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of making an X if a black cat crosses your path when driving. The only thing I've heard about cats is that if you have a baby in the house that cats could
ReplyDelete'steal their breath' and suffocate the baby.
That's such a funny story about the man and your cat, Rose Mary! I love black animals too- simoly because they don't look as dirty as light colored ones! *LOL*
ReplyDeleteI always think of that old saying every time I see a black cat run across the road in front of my car.
I have never heard of making the X in the air or making a cross with your fingers, either. It's very interesting to hear about. I guess every region had their own way of dealing with the problem of black cats!
ReplyDeleteI have heard the old tale of a cat 'sucking' the baby's breath away and that you should keep cats away from babies. I wonder how that even got started? I've never heard of an actual case of a cat harming a baby.
we love cats at our house, right now though with 3 inside dogs, we dont have a cat, our last cat died of grief (I think) because we got a second dog. LOL I do know this, when we lived in Mississippi, some of black friends would be really freaked out by our cat. One gal wouldnt stay in the same room as her. She told me that she didn't know many black people who had cats. I found it odd. Of course I love animals of all kind too, so not sure if it was a regional thing, a racial thing or I just knew odd folks..LOL probably the last..
ReplyDeleteRM,
ReplyDeleteHey I missed your giveaway! I better pay closes attention to what is going on.
My Daughter has two black cats, ans so far they are not causing any problems that I know of. But they are clever so who knows.
Nancy Jo
I have heard of not letting a cat around a baby. I remember my grandmother telling me that when I had my first baby. We didn't have a cat so didn't worry too much. We have Trouble now and 4 in the barn but no black ones. Have heard about not letting a black cat cross the road in front of you but never knew what to do about it. LOL
ReplyDeleteFunny about the black cat fear. I remember one-something about never leaving a cat in the room with a baby cause it can steal its breath. Something like that.
ReplyDeleteLove your pumpkin smiles above too : )
I should have read the comments first-I see someone else mentioned the baby thing. And I've seen folks make the X on their windsheild my whole life-after a black cat crosses the road.
ReplyDelete