Do you think a black cat is bad luck?
Black cats have been associated with Halloween for a long time. And perhaps because a black cat is often cast as a witch’s “familiar”, it has also been considered to be “Bad Luck”.
Of course, a black cat is neither lucky nor unlucky. A cat of any color is just a cat and cannot influence a person’s future or fortune. Yet, even in our modern age, black cats are still often painted as being “bad luck”. Interestingly, whether you think a black cat is bad luck may depend on where you live in the world. Different countries have different beliefs — and in some countries, people believe a black cat brings good luck!
- United States & most European countries: If you live in the United States, most people believe that if a black cat passes in front of you, something bad is about to happen to you.
- United Kingdom & Japan: If you live in the United Kingdom or in Japan, a black cat crossing your path will probably make you smile, and think that good fortune is on its way.
- Germany: Live in Germany and you probably believe that a black cat crossing your path from right to left is a bad omen. But if the cat crosses from left to right, it means favorable times for you.
- Italy: In Italy many people hold the superstition that if an inky feline lays on a sick person’s bed, death will follow.
- China: In China there are those that believe black cats to be harbingers of famine and poverty.
- Latvia: Latvian farmers rejoice when they find black kitties in their grain silos. They believe these felines to be the spirit of Rungis, a god of harvests.
- Scotland: In Scotland, folks believe finding back kittens sitting in their porch is a sure sign of riches and happiness to come.
Whatever the local superstitions about black cats may be, most owners of ebony-haired kitties consider themselves lucky and blessed.
