In the northern hemisphere, October marks the transition from summer to fall. Pumpkins appear at grocery and garden stores. Leaves swirl in the breeze before dropping in colorful abandon. The days grow shorter. Pumpkin spice is everywhere, especially in coffee and pastries. Neighbors put skeletal Halloween decorations in their yards. And, in general, we become more aware of black cats. This could be because their fur contrasts so nicely with pumpkins and autumnal leaves. Or, it could be the long association of Halloween, witches, and black cats.

Feline history has a contradictory past. Cats were considered harbingers of good fortune until the 13th century when they fell from grace.

In Ancient Times, Cats Were Worshipped as Gods; They Have Not Forgotten This. — Terry Pratchett

Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats as goddesses. The furry felines were held in such high esteem, that accidentally killing a cat could be punished with the death sentence. Certainly, cats were important for their role in protecting grain supplies from rodents and birds. But it was more than that.

GODDESSES BASTET, SEKHMET & MAFDET

Bastet was the goddess of protection, pleasure, and good health. She also protected her father Ra, the sun god whose gift of light powered Egyptian civilization. During the day, Bastet rode in Ra’s chariot as he crossed from one horizon to the other. At night while Ra rested, Bastet transformed into a cat to protect Ra from his enemy Apep, the serpent. Bastet carried a sistrum in her right hand.

Sekhmet, the Egyptian goddess of war, protected the pharaohs she led into battle. It was she who created the fire in Ra’s eye so he could destroy his enemies. She was alternately depicted as a lioness, or a woman with the head of a lion. She was associated with healing and medicine.

Finally, there is Mafdet, a woman with the head of a cheetah and braided hair that ended in scorpion tails. She too protected Ra, keeping his chambers clear of snakes, scorpions and evil. She also served as goddess of judgement, justice, and execution by ripping out the hearts of miscreants and bringing them to Pharaoh’s feet.

Over time, domestic cats became sacred as a living incarnation of Bastet. When they died, they were mummified, placed in a coffin and buried in cat cemeteries. Mummified cats were also placed in tombs to provide the occupant with protection in the underworld.

Deities in subsequent ancient civilizations also had associations with cats. The Roman goddess Diana’s primary identification was as a huntress, but she could also change into a cat form to take refuge with the moon. Diana is often shown with a crescent moon in her hair.

Libertas, the goddess of Liberty, was often depicted with a cat. In her temple, the goddess wore a white robe with a scepter in one hand and a velvet Phrygian cap in the other with a cat at her feet. The cap was worn by freed slaves to signify their liberty while the cat represented independence. Romans honored feline attributes with the saying Libertas sine Labore – Liberty without Labor.

Felines Fall From Grace

As the Christian Church became more powerful, its leaders had little patience for what they perceived as pagan connections between humans and animals. In particular, Pope Gregory IX wanted to weed out so-called heretics. On June 13, 1233 the pope issued Vox in Rama to King Henry of Germany in an effort to stop the heretical Luciferian cult that revered the devil. The document described some of the cult’s devil worship, including how the devil took the form of a black cat and required initiates to kiss the cat’s behind. It didn’t take long before people associated black cats with the devil, and began killing them in order to break evil spells.

In Denmark, the period before Easter known as Lent became a time when evil had to be purged so that spring could return. Since black cats were the devil, they were killed. The same was true in France. In Belgium cats were thrown down from the church belfry during Kattenstoet. The Festival of Cats still continues with stuffed cats substituted for live animals.

Superstitions about black cats continue today, though they can be contradictory. On the one hand, if a black cat crosses your path it’s bad luck due to their connection to witches. But another legend says that if a black cat crosses your path, a guardian angel is sending good fortune. Interesting how the more common superstition is the negative one.

Black Cat Facts

Negative superstitions about black cats result in their low shelter adoption rates and high euthanasia rates.

Black cats are more common than other feline cat colors, because eumelanin, the pigment for black fur, is their dominant pigment gene. Kittens get two copies of a given gene from their parents. If one of the codes is for black fur, the kitten has black fur.

However, the only cat that is entirely black is the Bombay cat, a breed developed in 1952 by crossing a Sable Burmese cat with a black American shorthair. Breeders hoped to create a cat resembling a miniature black leopard. The breed was given the name “Bombay” [now Mumbai] after the city near the habitat of the Indian black leopard.

? ? ? ? ?

Sandra’s Books: Sea Tigers & Merchants. Ambition, Arrogance & Pride. Saxon Heroines. Two Coins. Rama’s Labyrinth.

Illustrations & A Few Sources

“A Merry Halloween” postcard, 1910; Goddess Bastet by Eternal Space; Goddess Sekhmet by Eternal Space; Goddess Mafdet by Eternal Space; Mummified Cat in Fitchburg Art Museum; Diana the Huntress by Guillaume Seignac; Cat Festival in Belgium by Zeisterre; Bombay Cat by Pititebilette. Natasha Sheldon. “Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Cat to Live.” History Collection. May 5, 2018. Granny Syufy. “Myths & Superstitions About Black Cats.” Spruce Pets. August 14, 2024.

The post Black Cats —From Revered to Feared first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.