You will get a variety of responses if you ask folks what they think about black cats. They are cunning and cunningly wicked. They are sly and unlucky. They make the ideal pets since they are affectionate and sweet. These cats with black coats are definitely misunderstood, that much is certain.
The representation of a black cat can be found everywhere during the height of Halloween season. However, there is much more to our favorite ebony furry friends than meets the eye. A black cat’s velvety dark coat against the vivid orange of a pumpkin is striking.
Here are some fascinating details about black cats that can alter your opinion of them.
1. Black cats used to be revered as gods.
The goddess Bastet, who had the head of a black cat and kept watch over the women, the home, and the harvests, was represented in ancient Egypt by the black cat, which served as her corporeal incarnation. On Earth, cats served the same purposes and were frequently decked out in bling and treated like kings and queens. Every home owned a cat, they had shrines dedicated to them, and it was illegal to kill one without being executed. It is clear how significant cats were to the ancient Egyptians since they were also mummified in the same manner as humans. (Megan, The History of the Domestic Cat, Tuxedo-Cat.co.uk)
Celtic civilizations gave rise to the legend of the Cait Sidhe, a mythical black cat with a white patch on its chest who was referred to as the Faerie King of Cats. According to legend, Cait Sidhe would bless your house if milk was left out for him on Samhain night or Halloween. (Megan, Black Cat Spiritual Meaning Explained, Tuxedo-Cat.co.uk)
2. Black cats were NOT always associated with evil or bad omen.
Black cats have romantic and lucky meanings in Japan and other countries Having a black cat as a gift will ensure a happy marriage for an English lady, while finding one on your doorstep in Scotland heralds impending fortune. Treating black cats with respect can bring wealth; the French refer to them as “Money Cats.” Although British sailors frequently took cats on board to deal with the vermin, a black cat might also guarantee a safe return to land. For the same reason, the wives of fishermen kept black cats inside their homes. (Megan, Black Cat Spiritual Meaning Explained, Tuxedo-Cat.co.uk; Ameera Mills, Interesting Characteristics About Black Cats, 27 July 2022)
An old Greek story that became popular during the turbulent Middle Ages may be where the notion that black cats are unlucky first appeared. The cat helped Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, after the goddess Hera punished one of her servants by turning him into a black cat. As Christianity moved across Europe, it tried to condemn the rituals of pagan cultures because it considered them as being in league with the Devil. Pope Gregory IX adopted the association of black cats with witchcraft and declared them to be symbols of Satan in 1233. Ever then, people have believed that the cats with dark fur are either demons in disguise or the servants of those who worship the devil. Now, as well as you can see, that is outright a ridiculous thing for the Pope to have declared at that time. (Dina Fantegrossi, Myths About Black Cats: The Good, The Bad, and the Silly, https://petinsurer-staging.azurewebsites.net/Content/white-label/ihcats/img/svg/ihcats.svg)
3. There are 22 different black cat breeds.
There are 22 breeds that are known to be capable of producing a solid black coat. These black cats can be fairly different, ranging from the luxurious coats of long-haired Persians, Norwegian Forest Cats, and Ragamuffins to the shorter Scottish Folds and Japanese Bobtails. The Bombay is undoubtedly the breed with the most recognizable image.
By combining Sable Burmese and Black American Shorthairs, the Bombay was developed in the 1950s to resemble a tiny black panther. With its sparkling eyes, this sleek, short-haired cat is unquestionably a spitting image of its larger relative and the only breed that is always a solid black color. (Ameera Mills, Interesting Characteristics About Black Cats, 27 July 2022)
4. The most common fur color is black.
The black color gene is the most dominant when it comes to coat color, even though the gene for a tabby coat is the pattern with the most frequency in feline DNA. This means that if two cats with the black coat gene conceive kittens, the black coat gene will override the tabby pattern gene to produce a solid black coat. If both parents carry the black color gene, even if one of those genes is recessive, there is a greater likelihood that their offspring will be black. According to this, there are more black cats than any other color! (Ameera Mills, Interesting Characteristics About Black Cats, 27 July 2022)
5. Black cats are color-changing.
The black color gene may have suppressed that tabby pattern, but it might still be present. Many black cats are actually tabbies since it takes another gene to totally override the tabby pattern in a cat. If you’ve ever noticed stripes while your cat was enjoying the sun, the tabby pattern wasn’t completely suppressed.
The more time these covert tabbies spend in the sun, the more their black fur will rust or turn brownish-red. How is this possible? The black pigment can be broken down by sunshine to expose colors and patterns that are underlying. (Ameera Mills, Interesting Characteristics About Black Cats, 27 July 2022)
6. Black coats might have developed to help cats survive.
Researchers are discovering evidence of a different reason why black coats may have evolved in jaguars and leopards, the progenitors of many domestic cats. The melanism gene, which creates black coats, also influences a cat’s immune system. These cats’ immune systems are stronger, and they are more resistant to some infections like FIV (feline immunodeficiency disorder), according to researchers. The same genes in people are affected by these alterations, and they may even hold the key to curing HIV. (Ameera Mills, Interesting Characteristics About Black Cats, 27 July 2022)
7. The most difficult felines to photograph are black cats.
It should come as no surprise that taking a good photograph of a black cat may be challenging for both amateur and professional photographers. Their dark characteristics frequently meld to form a hairy, black glob. Perfect lighting is essential to bringing out the magnificence of these fur-tastic cats.
Black cats in particular are thought to be associated with deep magic and protection that have the power to clear negative energy from dwellings.
Black cats are well-liked by spiritualists because they are believed to have the greatest spiritual ties and to be fiercely protective of their homes and families.
About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She is a solo parent for 14 years now because she is wife to a desaparacido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.