There are over 11 breeds of cats that can have black fur. The American shorthair, Bombay, British shorthair, Chantilly-Tiffany, Cornish Rex, Maine Coon, and Persian breeds are the most popular black cats.
Credit: © Eric Isselee, Shutterstock

Black cats are everywhere in Halloween decorations and movies. They are said to bring bad luck if you cross paths with them. But how did black cats become linked with the spooky, scary and unlucky? Somehow black cats got wrapped up in superstitions, joining ladders, spilled salt, broken mirrors, and open umbrellas indoors. However, in many cultures throughout history, black cats have been considered good luck.

There are over 11 breeds of cats that can have black fur. The American shorthair, Bombay, British shorthair, Chantilly-Tiffany, Cornish Rex, Maine Coon, and Persian breeds are the most popular black cats. Cats are a favorite pet of people around the world. Cats are intelligent and have an independent nature. These small animals can also be playful and entertaining. Many cats make affectionate, loyal pets, providing companionship for people of all ages. Tens of millions of cats are kept as pets worldwide. Surprisingly, cats were not always popular pets!

In Europe during the Middle Ages, the cat was considered a symbol of evil. Superstitious people associated the cat with witchcraft and the Devil. For this reason, people killed hundreds of thousands of cats. Although all cats were thought to be evil, black cats with their mysterious black fur contrasting with their yellow eyes were thought to be more evil than other cats. Black cats were believed to gather around witches, a superstition that stuck around for many years.

Experts believe that the destruction of so many cats led to a huge increase in the rat population of Europe and contributed to the spread of the Black Death, an epidemic of plague. This disease is transmitted to people by rat fleas. In the 1300′s, it killed from one-fourth to one-half of the people who lived in Europe. By the 1600′s, Europeans had begun to realize once again the importance of cats in controlling rodents. Cats gradually regained popularity. European explorers, colonists, and traders brought domestic cats to the New World during the 1600′s and 1700′s. Throughout the 1800′s, settlers took cats with them as they moved westward. Most cats in the United States and Canada today are descendants of these cats.

It is also said that in parts of in England, Ireland, Japan, and Scotland black cats were considered good luck. They were thought to bring prosperity and even love. Sailors often brought cats on ships to kill mice and rats that stowaway and eat their food supplies. They believed black cats brought good weather and a safe return home. They favored them over other kinds of cats.

Long before the Middle Ages, Egyptians worshiped Bastet, a cat goddess in the mythology of ancient Egypt. By about 1000 B.C., keeping cats as house pets became common. By this time, Bastet was usually represented as a woman with a cat’s head. Bastet became associated with fertility, love, and motherhood as her worship spread to other places in Egypt. She often carried a sistrum. The sistrum is a sacred rattle believed to keep evil away. Egyptians revered darker cats due to their resemblance to Bastet.

Black cats help scientists understand diseases. Researchers at the National Institute of Health discovered that black cats have genetic mutations that can make them disease resistant. Cats can get the same diseases that humans do including Alzheimer’s and cancer. Scientists study black cats to learn how to prevent and fight off these diseases in humans. Seems like black cats are pretty helpful!

December 13, 2016

Many people are familiar with the superstitions surrounding Friday the 13^th, a day feared by many who believe in the supernatural, the unexplained, or the just plain weird. But did you know that Tuesday the 13^th—today!—is also a potentially troubling day? In many Latin American countries (and in Spain and Greece), today—Tuesday the 13th, or martes 13 (or trece) in Spanish—is un día de la mala suerte, or a bad luck day.

Some superstitious people think that cuddly black cats should be avoided on martes 13—Tuesday the 13th. Credit: © Shutterstock Credit: © Shutterstock

On martes 13, people might want to avoid black cats, walking beneath ladders, breaking mirrors, or other supposed omens of bad luck. In fact, some superstitious Spanish-speaking people may not leave home at all on martes 13. A common saying goes: martes 13, ni te cases, ni te embarques—Tuesday the 13^th, neither marry, nor embark (leave on a trip). In Chile, a third warning is often added to this expression: ni tu puerco mates—don’t kill your pig (save it for a better day). The number 13 has long been an “unlucky” number, but you may wonder why some cultures pair 13 with Tuesday instead of Friday.

Well, one possibility is that martes is named for the fearsome ancient Roman god of war, Mars (Marte in Spanish)—not a character to be taken lightly. And, of course, war is associated with such bad things as death and destruction. Also, one of the most significant events in world history, the Fall of Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), occurred on a Tuesday in 1453. If you were a citizen of the East Roman (or Byzantine) Empire at the time, this was truly a bad luck day. Furthermore, Biblical tradition has it that the confusion of different languages at the Tower of Babel began on a Tuesday—or was it martes, martedi, mardi, Dienstag, or Вторник???

In some East Asian cultures, the number 4 is considered bad luck, largely because of the similarity of the words four and death in Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and several Chinese dialects. It is common for buildings to be without a fourth floor, or for the number 4 to be excluded from the names of airplanes, cars, or ships. It is extremely uncommon to receive a gift of four of anything, and the number 4 is often missing in hospitals, hotels, and license plates.

November 13, 2015

For the third time in the year 2015, a Friday will fall on the 13th day of the month, and you will not be alone if you feel just a little bit nervous about this unluckiest of days. Friggatriskaidekaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th) is a common phobia shared by millions of people worldwide. The word comes from Frigg, the name of the Norse goddess for whom Friday is named, and triskaidekaphobia, or fear of the number thirteen. Friday the 13th  always occurs at least once a year and no more than three times in any one year.

Friday and the number 13 are both associated with bad luck in Western cultures. Credit: © Everett Collection/Shutterstock

Scholars of folklore are uncertain about the exact origins of the superstitions surrounding Friday the 13th. Historical documents that refer to the unlucky day are all but unknown before the late 1800′s, but scholars know that superstitions surrounding Friday and the number 13 stretch back to ancient times. For example, one of the earliest written collections of laws, the Code of Hammurabi, composed between 1792 and 1750 B.C., completely omits the number 13. Some people think 13 owes its bad reputation to Loki, the ancient Norse god of evil, who arrived uninvited to disrupt a feast held by 12 Norse gods at Valhalla. The number 13 continues to have an unlucky association today. Thirteen is so disliked that many cities skip over 13th Street, hotels often avoid having a 13th  floor, and many airports do not have a gate 13.

Friday is also often associated with bad luck. Many people will not travel or begin a trip on a Friday. One explanation for the belief that Friday the 13th is especially unlucky stems from Christian tradition. Jesus Christ was crucified on a Friday following the Last Supper, attended by 13 men.

Although scientists normally dismiss superstition, some take worries over Friday the 13th seriously. Psychologists have studied how concern over the unlucky date may affect people’s health and safety. Remarkably, some research studies find that accidents are actually less common on Friday the 13th compared to other dates. Researchers suggest that people are more likely to stay at home or people are more cautious because of fears surrounding the date.

Other World Book article

• Mythology

Jan. 20, 2012

Thirty pieces of ivory engraved with signs of the zodiac, found in what is now Croatia, may represent the oldest known astrologer’s board. The fragments, which are at least 2,000 years old, were found in a cave in the Dalmatia region, overlooking the Adriatic Sea. The board was likely used by ancient astrologers to cast (draw) horoscopes, said researchers from the United States and Croatia, who spent years excavating the reassembling the fragments. Cancer, Gemini, and Pisces are among the signs on the fragments. A horoscope is a chart that shows the position of the planets in relation to both Earth and the stars at a certain time, in most cases, the time of a person’s birth. A horoscope supposedly reveals a person’s character or future.

The pieces of the board were found with thousands of pieces of ancient Hellenistic drinking vessels in a section of the cave that had been sealed off for more than 2,000 years. The researchers speculated that local people, who were known as Illyrians, may have closed off that part of the cave during a military campaign by the ancient Romans. The Romans conquered this region in the 200′s B.C. The researchers also speculated that the board may have been made in Egypt, in part because the ivory probably came from an elephant.

The signs of the zodiac, according to astrologers, each exert a special influence over people born under them. The signs are based on a band of constellations that appears to encircle Earth. This chart shows the signs of the zodiac along with their associated symbols, birthdates, and personality characteristics. World Book diagram by Dick Keller

Astrologers in ancient Babylon began casting individual horoscopes between 600 and 200 B.C. Today, many people consider astrology to be a superstition, and nearly all scientists declare that the whole basis of astrology is unscientific. They point out that Earth’s position in space has changed since ancient times. As a result, the dates astrologers associate with the signs of the zodiac no longer match the positions of the constellations for which they were named.

Additional World Book articles:

• Aquarius
• Aries
• Cancer
• Capricorn
• Gemini
• House
• Leo
• Libra
• Pisces
• Sagittarius
• Scorpio
• Taurus
• Virgo