Black cats have never existed in a gray area. Throughout history they’ve either been worshiped or reviled. Their mysterious ebony coloring has often cast an equally dark shadow upon them, or has elevated them to lofty, sacred status. And through it all, superstitions have swirled around black cats – here’s a sampling of this feline folklore.

Feline fanciers

Ancient Egyptians revered all cats – even black ones – and the law deemed that hurting or killing them equated to a capital crime. At the time, cats were the superstars of the animal kingdom, worshipped as though they had sacred lineage. When a pet cat died, the entire family mourned its passing. Embalming of cats was the norm for both the rich and poor. Cats would be swaddled in fine linen, and then buried in mummy cases composed of precious bronze and wood – a material that was an Egyptian rarity. Archaeologists have even located Egyptian cemeteries filled entirely with cats – particularly black ones.

Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, fear of black cats reared its ugly head – particularly in England, when witch hysteria was at a fever pitch. Poor, elderly, solitary women would feed alley cats, often black ones, only to be accused of practicing black magic – and their cats would be suspected of witchery, as well. Numerous Middle Age societies were determined to exterminate all cats, and as a result, many innocent women who were thought to be able to morph into black felines were burned at the stake, along with their cats.

As a consequence, the rat population skyrocketed, spreading the bubonic plague and other diseases related to rodents. In France, thousands of black cats thought to be witches incarnate were burned each month until King Louis XIII abolished the custom. In another medieval myth, the devil is said to have transformed himself into a cat when interacting with witches.

Witch hunts

A father and son in Lincolnshire, England were panicked one night when a diminutive creature dashed in front of them, disappearing into a small crawlspace. After the two lobbed stones into the opening, a black cat emerged and limped to the home of a woman suspected of witchery. The following day, the father and son witnessed the woman limping down the street, with a bandaged arm and a bruised face. In Lincolnshire, from that point forward, all black cats were assumed to be witches who disguised themselves as felines at night. That notion crossed the Atlantic Ocean, landing in Salem, Massachusetts, and became a driving force in their witch hunts.

Gambling

Gamblers are not fond of black cats. Some believe that if a black cat crosses their path or road en route to a casino, the gambler should avoid going in. Many players contend that black cats will bring them a straight flush of bad luck.

Crossing paths

This is probably the most well-known black cat superstition, although it has a few variations. If you are driving and a black cat crosses the road in front of you, you’ll receive bad luck if you don’t turn around and go in the opposite direction. This is probably also advantageous for the cat, so it doesn’t get run over.

The United States, as well as Western and Southern Europe, regard black cats as symbols of bad luck. If one crosses your path, it’s a forewarning of bad luck, and even death. In Germany, however, other factors are considered. If a black cat crosses someone’s path from right to left, it’s a bad omen. If the cat crosses from left to right, good luck lies ahead.

Cats ahoy

Nineteenth century pirates believed that a black cat walking toward them signified bad luck, and a black cat walking away from them indicated good luck. And if a black cat walked onto a ship and then walked off, the vessel was fated to sink on its next trip. The good news is that sailors would often invite a black cat aboard to bring good luck. Fishermen’s wives kept black cats at home with the intention of protecting their husbands while they were at sea.

Single white hair

Many people believe that even the darkest ebony cat has one white hair on its body. If you can locate that hair and pull it out without getting bitten or scratched, you will have a long, joyous, prosperous marriage.

Even though these superstitions are centuries old, they’re still leaving paw prints on popular culture. Black cats stay in shelters longer than other cats because there are actually people who still believe these antiquated notions. The ancient Egyptians were right – respect and cherish cats – no matter what color they are.