Black cat is a domestic cat with a dark coat, very associated with beliefs and superstitions like an animal that invokes bad luck or ill omen.
In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the black cats were witches transformed into animals, so there is the superstition that mating with a black cat is a sign of great bad luck.
However, in other cultures cats of this color are revered as they are signs of extreme luck.
In ancient Persia, for example, there was a belief that when a black cat was mistreated, it was the same thing to mistreat a friendly spirit, created especially to keep man company during his stay in the Earth.
But it was even in the Middle Ages that the superstition emerged that black cats were unlucky, very much due to to their nocturnal habits, and also the black color, which is generally associated with darkness, black magic and the Devil.
Find out more about the meaning of Black color.
In the 15th century, Pope Innocent VIII even included black cats in the list of heretical beings persecuted by the Inquisition, for being accused of being associated with evil spirits and, therefore, many ended up being burned along with the people accused of witchcraft.
It is very common to hear stories of luck and bad luck associated with black cats, which are still considered as one of the symbols of Friday 13.
Learn more about the meaning of Friday 13.
Black cats were also much referenced in popular culture, in addition to being mentioned in texts and thrillers and horror movies. One of the most popular tales is “The Black Cat” from Edgar Allan Poe, where he blames the feline for a series of supernatural events.
See also the meaning of Bad luck.