Halloween witches and black cats-myth busted!

It’s that time of the year and we wonder about the mystery of Halloween.

Black cats and witches! Should we be worried about them? What should they be worried about us?

The mythology of black cats and their association with the dark arts goes back to ancient Greece. The priestess known as the “dark mother” is said to have turned into a black cat and waited around the temple with the priestesses.

Later in the dark age, in England, black cats were associated with the unknown forces attributed to witches. In many cases it was thought the witches could turn themselves into cats and return. And when the witches were charged and tried,  then found guilty to be burnt alive, then their Black cats would be burnt at the stake with them.

This mythology of black cats has led to the unfortunate situation where it is thought that cats are sacrificed at this time of year in satanic rituals.

In response, Adoption societies or animal shelters have restricted the adoption of black cats during the month of October. This is worrisome as it restricts the time through the year when cats are available for adoption.

There is little evidence to support the notion that black cats or any cats are sacrificed in association with Satanic rituals during the month of October.

Where there have been cases of animal cruelty, it has been associated with mental illness in the individual, and not necessarily associated with the month of October.

So yes, there are circumstances where black cats may be treated cruelly or sacrificed however this is not associated with Halloween, October, or satanic rituals.

What has become more prevalent however is the temporary adoption of a black cat from an animal shelter, only to be returned the next day or in early November, deemed to be “unsuitable for my household”. This in itself is a cruel act, as a cat is removed from shelter environment into a home environment and then returned within 24 to 48 hours and the disruption to the cats environment could be considered cruel.

So the message here is:

  • Black cats are not bad luck.
  • Black cats are not associated with witches.
  • Black cats can make wonderful companions, and should be considered so during the whole of the year, even October.

Happy Halloween!

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