What is the Matter with the Halloween Black Cat?
By Joy J. Fine
How many times does the picture of a Halloween black cat come to mind when that spooky occasion is discussed? Did you ever wonder why the black cat as opposed to any other color or other animal? At one time owning a black cat was thought to be something that would bring you good luck. The cats were very much a cherished creature. Others envied you and you were proud that you had a black cat. Back in the days of the early Egyptians it was thought that the goddess Bast, the one who could make you wealthy and successful, spread her spirit out amongst the black cats and so if you let one into your home only good things would happen to you.
Back in the sixteen hundreds, King Charles the first of England had a much loved black cat. He protected his pet with guards all day long every day. This animal meant more to him than people thought it should, but nonetheless, he loved his cat dearly. One day the cat became sick and soon after it died. The death of his much loved pet was a tragic event for him. He was heard to say that now that the cat had died his luck was gone with it. Little did he know how right he would appear to be. The very next day Charles was charged with treason, arrested by those who had formerly served him, and soon after executed. Was he right, did losing his beloved black cat destroy his luck?
In Sumatra the cat is supposed to help when there is a drought. A ceremony that begins with throwing the cat into the river and ends with women chasing it around their village while throwing water on the poor creature is supposed to ensure their lucky creature will bring rain. In some places in Britain, where there were fishing villages, the black cat was said to bring the fishermen back safely. There were times when the fisherman would go on their voyages and people would bring black kittens, often stolen, into the villages that they would sell to the wives who would pay the most to make certain of the safe return of their husbands. In other places in Europe the black cat is also seen as a lucky symbol. They believe that a black cat walking in front of you or into your home will bring you good luck.
So, where did the image of the Halloween black cat come from? Why do Americans, and Canadians, believe that this animal is bad luck? Even the term black cat conjures up a fisherman’s prophecy that means a boat that will never be able to carry its full complement of crewmen. It seems that this change from a symbol of good luck to back luck became originally attached to the days of witch hunting. The early settlers believed that the cat, particularly the black cat, was the familiar for witches. Anyone seen to have a black cat could be disciplined or killed for no more than owning it. It was no longer viewed as good luck, or even as a pet, but as an evil messenger. It was believed to be an important part of casting spells. The peasants believed that this cat was so bad, and so much a part of the witch’s ability to put a spell on them, that they convinced themselves that the only way to get out from under the evil spells was to kill the black cat with a silver bullet. It is for these reasons that the Halloween black cat is such a popular symbol of the scariest night of the year.
