Cat Myths and Superstitions: A Little History
Throughout history, many myths about cats have emerged in almost every culture and society where cats were domesticated and had acquired the status of pets. These representations have evolved over time. Thus, some cultures have taken up and modified the myths and superstitions of other civilizations about cats, tending to further increase certain negative, even sinister, ideas about cat behavior.
Note that the statements cited here are not to be taken literally, they are purely historical beliefs.
Note that the statements cited here are not to be taken literally, they are purely historical beliefs.
Cats and Time
In ancient times, sailors believed that watching the way cats behaved could actually predict the weather. Sailors believed that black cats were an omen of bad luck and would cause bad weather, while other sailors held tortoiseshell cats in high esteem because they believed they would bring them good luck. Another example of a widely held belief was that if the ship's cat began to play loudly, it meant that a strong wind was approaching. On a calm sea, the small ripples on the surface were called "cat's paws" because sailors believed that the ghosts of ship's cats were dancing on the water in the wind. Japanese sailors, on the other hand, believed that a tricolor cat on a ship would warn them if the ship was heading into a storm zone, in time for the sailors to get the ship back to port before the storm hit. In ancient Egypt, people believed that when a cat began to clean the back of its ears, it heralded the arrival of good weather, while in China the same gesture signaled the imminence of rain in the same way that a cat winking its eye would. Other myths about cats and weather could be cited, including:
- That cats could predict the weather, and so a cat cleaning its face or ears predicted rain, or if it scratched the curtains and carpets, it predicted wind.
- That cats predict bad weather when they tuck their paws under them to sleep.
- That, according to some sailors, rain would fall after a cat sneezed once and again, that a cat licking its fur against the grain announced a hailstorm!
- Early American settlers believed that if their cat sat in front of the fire with its back to the flames, there would soon be a severe cold snap.
- That for sailors using cats to predict the weather before embarking on a voyage, a playful cat foretold a gusty wind and a safe voyage, while a loud, noisy meowing cat meant a very difficult and stormy voyage.
- Another popular sailor's belief was that cats could store magic in their tails and that they had the power to use it to cause storms. So sailors made sure that the cats were always happy and well fed so that they would not use this magic against them!
Cats and Witchcraft
Cats have also long been associated with dark magic and witches, particularly in the 1400s and much earlier, in the early Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages in Europe, the fate or destiny of cats changed dramatically, as they were associated with demons and other objects of superstition. In Europe, the Christian Church began a massive witch and cat hunt. During this time, the population slaughtered cats almost to extinction because it was believed that cats, the embodiment of evil, were partners with witches and shared the powers of dark magic. People hunted cats, tortured them, and then killed them, often along with their owners. In addition to slaughtering cats to near extinction, the Church accused countless innocent men and women of witchcraft, tortured them, and burned them alive at the stake. Indeed, simply owning a cat or helping an injured or sick animal was enough of a reason to torture and kill someone. However, the number of rats, which carried diseases, increased as the cat population declined, contributing to the development of epidemics and the spread of the plague throughout Europe. It was therefore during the medieval period that evil and black cats were associated. Many believed that cats were witches or supernatural servants of witches, simply because they were nocturnal animals, wandering in the night with their distinctive glowing eyes and light movements. Cats had become the embodiment of evil, of mystery lurking in the shadows and were believed to have terrifying powers. While some associated black cats with witches, others believed that black cats were themselves witches disguised as black cats! It was not until the seventeenth century that cats returned to favor, rising in the esteem of the population, and once again becoming beloved companions and natural regulators preventing the proliferation of rats and other rodents through predation.
Cats and the Future
There are several myths about cats and fortune telling. Some people believe that if a cat cleans its paw and then runs it behind its left ear, it means a visit. If the cat is in the living room and cleans its paws and face, it also means that you will have company soon. The first single person the cat looks at after cleaning itself will get married very soon. But there are other myths about cats and the future, including:
- In the sanctuaries of ancient Egypt, priests tended to sanctify cats, as we have seen previously. Observing these sacred animals night and day, the priests translated every movement of the cats, such as a stretch, a yawn or even the quivering of a whisker and used them to predict an upcoming event.
- When two people get married and there is a cat at the wedding, they will have good luck in the future.
- A sneezing cat is a prediction of future wealth. It also predicts a joyful life for a bride if, on her wedding day, a black cat sneezes near her.
- The belief that tortoiseshell cats had the gift of seeing into the future was still a widespread superstition. It was also believed that such cats had the ability to pass this gift on to a lucky child in their adopted human family.
- If a person had a dream in which a cat was present, some considered it a sign of bad luck for the future.
- Another poetic superstition is that if a cat chooses and adopts you, even after its death it will remain by your side.
Source: chatsdumonde.com
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