Despite their ties with Halloween, black cats are no more mysterious or scary than any other cat. So we hope you keep black cats in mind when looking to adopt a new feline friend!
To celebrate Black Cat Day (October 26th), we wanted to share some of the oldest and most enduring superstitions with you such as crossing paths with a black cat was thought to bring bad luck, also giving them the (unearned) reputation of being spooky! Legend had it that witches could transform into a black cat and back, emphasising superstitions of these adorably furry creatures. The naturally standoffish, stealthy attitude of cats probably didn’t help these felines, either. Paired with their dark fur coats and glowing eyes, black cats were feared as much as the human witches themselves!
Perhaps the most direct connection between black cats and contemporary Halloween symbols stems from the Celtic festival Samhain. Samhain takes place between sunset on October 31st and sunset on November 1st, to mark the end of the harvest season. In some parts of the world, a black cat on the front porch was thought to bring good fortune, and according to common seafaring superstition, having a black cat on board was deemed to be very lucky.
You can find out more about adopting one of our lucky black cats or kittens here: https://stg.ispca.ie/adoptions/?animal=cat/
