October 31st, 2024

Boo!  heh

I find it so hard to believe that some people are afraid of black cats.  Perhaps it's the association with Halloween?  I have heard grown adults tell me that black cats are demons, and they were absolutely serious when they said it.  I wonder where they get that idea? 

It's kind of silly because the whole black cat as a representation of a holiday was specifically created, though not the holiday you think.  What we call Halloween was originally Samhain, a Celtic Harvest Festival a Very, Very long time ago. Samhain was celebrated from sunset October 31st to sunset November 1st.   According to ancient Celtic legend, a Black Cat called Sith - a large black cat with a white spot on his chest, blessed households that left him a saucer of milk.  (the treats we give out today I would imagine).  Those who did not participate were offered dire curses instead of blessings (which would be the trick).

Then in the 9th century, the Western Christian Church merged their All-Saints Day with Samhain resulting in something a little closer to the Halloween that we know today.  But the black cat as a witch's familiar?  Where the black cats get their bad reputation?

Well in the 13th century, Pope Gregory the IX issued "Vox in Rama" that forever glued together the concept of Black Cats and superstition.  Vox in Rama was a papal edict condeming devil worship. All fine and good except in one particular Luciferian cult lore, one of his demons was able to appear as a black cat.  And thus, it began.  Those dang devil worshippers ruin everything.

For some reason of all of the nonsense this cult spouted, this one thing, the image of a black cat was the one thing that stuck in people's mind and suddenly any black cat was instantly dubbed as evil.  Eventually it spread to include any cat, but especially black ones.  

This imagery hung on through the witch trials in Salem, a particularly unfortunate chapter in our history but eventually, by the 1800's people began to shake off this notion and the ignorance surrounding it although sadly, it persisted for, literally, Centuries.  Geez People.

Even now in 2024, the sad truth is that black cats are usually the last to be adopted from shelters.  And I absolutely do not understand.  Brysco and Wyatt, black cats both, are the sweetest, dearest, goofiest cats we've ever had.  I promise you that the scariest thing about either of them, is how much we love them.

This is Brysco by the way in the photo walking behind the Halloween card that my Colorado friend, Jan, sent to me.  I happened to have my camera in my hand and snap!  There you go!   And I promise you there is nothing frightening about Brysco.   As Halloween cats go, he's actually more scaredy cat than scary cat, so you have nothing to fear from this guy.  But we both wish you a Happy Halloween!

Be safe and have fun!