bad luck | Adventures in Cheeseland

Greetings fellow felines. We hope you are all well. Our humans are ALL sick (some kind of really nasty virus). We had to beg to get any kind of post out today. Mom is our typist, so she made us pick an easy topic. We wanted to talk about our plans for the new year, but she said we couldn’t do anything with the little humans who have moved in.

When Mom was little, she would spend New Year’s Eve with her grandma from Scotland. Grandma had some strongly held opinions about what needed to be done to bring luck in the new year. There was a lot of cleaning and candle-burning to get rid of the bad luck from the previous year. We decided to see if we could find any countries that linked luck to kitties. Here’s what we found:

England

If a black cat crosses your path from left to right, it’s good luck. If a black cat crosses your path from right to left (or walks away from you), it’s bad luck. If a woman receives a black cat on her wedding day, the marriage will be prosperous. Newlyweds with a black cat will have a loving, happy marriage. However, if an unmarried woman steps on a cat’s tail, she will not get married that year.

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France

In the south of France feeding black cats and treating them well will bring good luck. The rest of the country considers them unlucky. If you cross a stream with a cat in your arms, it is an omen of death for a loved one. If a cat sneezes near a bride on her wedding day, it will be a loving and prosperous marriage.

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India

In the ancient Hindu religion, cats were the symbol of childbirth and fertility. Grey cats are believed to be especially lucky. Black cats are lucky, and you should welcome them into your home. If a cat meows as a person leaves the house, it is an omen of danger for that person. If a cat washes its ear three times, an unexpected guest is coming. If you are setting out on an adventure and see a cat on your left side, you will have good luck. If a cat follows you out of your house, you can expect financial gain in the near future.

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Indonesia

If you pour water over a cat, it will rain.

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Ireland

There is a belief that kittens born in May are particularly troublesome; they may even bring snakes into the house. Killing a cat can bring you 17 years of bad luck. If you see a black cat cross your path in the moonlight, it is a omen of an epidemic-related death.

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Italy

If you hear an Italian cat sneeze, it’s good luck. But if it sneezes three times, you’ll get a cold. If a bride hears a cat sneeze on her wedding day, she will have a good marriage. However, black cats are considered bad luck in parts of Italy.

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Japan

In Japan, cats are considered lucky. In particular, black cats are lucky. Owning a black cat increases your chances of romantic success. Black cats also guard homes against evil. An additional belief is that if a cat grooms its face, you will have unexpected visitors. (No word on whether that’s lucky or not.)

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Netherlands

The Dutch believe that cats are gossips. If you have a private conversation with a cat in the room, they will tell all of your secrets. There is no record of how far they will spread the news.

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Russia.

Russians consider Russian Blue cats to be particularly lucky. When you enter a new home, you should let the cat go in first. If the cat doesn’t want to enter, it’s a sign of bad luck. Black cats are considered bad luck. If a black cat crosses your path, move to the other side of the street or spit over your shoulder three times to ward off evil spirits.

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Southern Europe

If a cat jumps across a person’s grave, they will live again as a vampire.

Fluffy white cat, large, blue eyes, walking down road towards camera

United States

If a cat sits on someone’s grave, their soul is possessed by the Devil. However, if two cats are fighting over a grave, an angel and demon are fighting over the soul. If you see a white cat on the road during the day, or dream of one, it’s good luck. But seeing a white cat at night is unlucky. If you see a one-eyed cat, spit on your thumb and palm it in your hand. If you make a wish, it will come true. If a Pennsylvania Dutch woman wants to get married, she should feed a cat from her shoe.

We wish you nothing but good luck in the coming year!

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Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

Greetings. Snoops and Kommando Kitty here. We are sharing our post this month with our cousin, Onyx (see picture above). She requested that we talk about the specialness of black cats. Since Cat Forum is all cats, all the time, we agreed. But it doesn’t mean that we all aren’t pawsome.

As you know, the reason that black cats may need some extra love is that they have a bad reputation among some humans. They think that cats are bad luck.

Image result for black cat

Most of the trouble goes back a long, long time. But you know humans. Once they get an idea in their heads, sometimes it gets lost and can’t find its way out.

Many years ago, people believed black cats belonged to witches. (Probably because they could move around and not be seen at night.) Those cats were called “familiars”. A familiar is an animal-shaped demon serves a witch as a spy and companion.

Image result for black cat as witch

Or that black cats were witches themselves. In fact, if a witch became human, the black cat would leave them. Witches were blamed for a lot of the bad luck people had in those days.

There are a few lingering negative beliefs about black cats in various part of the world:

In Yorkshire, England, it is good luck to own a black cat, but bad luck to have one cross your path.
In North America, it is bad luck for a black cat to cross your path but good luck to have a white one cross your path.

Image result for black cat sleeping

Seeing a black cat in a dream means you are having trouble trusting your intuition.
A funeral procession with a black cat means another member of the family will die.
A black cat walking toward you is good luck. If she turns and walks away, she takes the good fortune with her.
If a black cat crosses your path while you’re driving, turn your hat backwards and make a cross on the windshield to prevent bad luck.

Image result for happy black cat

On the other hand, some humans believe good things:

In Japan, a single woman who owns a black cat will have many suitors.
In Germany, if a black cat crosses your path from right to left, good things are coming.
In England, giving a bride a black cat will bring her good luck.

Image result for black cat with bride

In Ireland and Scotland, it is good luck for a black cat to cross your path.
To dream of a black cat is lucky.
Finding a white hair on a black cat is lucky.
A strange black cat on the porch brings prosperity to the owner.
Traditionally, sailors and fishermen in Great Britain thought black cats would bring good luck and a safe return home.
In ancient Egypt, the cat goddess Bastet represented truth and prosperity.

Image result for cute black cat

Fun facts and information:

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) celebrates Black Cat Appreciation Day on August 17 and October 27 is National Black Cat Day in Britain.
The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) recognizes 22 different breeds that can have solid black coats.
According to a recent survey by the ASPCA, the total number of adoptions of black cats is highest of any color.

Image result for fluffy black cat

There are three “black” fur genes: solid black, brown, and cinnamon. If a black cat has a tabby stripe gene, heavy exposure to the sun will make it look “rusty” brown.
There is a black cat café in Himeji, Japan named Nekobiyaka.
Professional photographers recommend that black cats be photographed on a plain background, angled toward a natural light source. On an iPhone you can tap on the cat’s face (in the picture), and use the sun icon to lighten up the picture.

Image result for cute black cat

Kitties, we recommend that you share this information with your human. Get the word out that black cats are just another furry addition to the family who’s a little harder to see in the dark.