10/30/2024
🐈⬛️THE BLACK CAT🐈⬛️
'Tis the Black Cat Season! These sleek felines live on the dark side of legends, folklore, and superstitions. Unfortunate for the black cat, centuries later, the 'bad luck' stigma, is still their mark of disgrace. These beautiful kitties are still the victims of the lowest adoption rates at the shelters, have been the targets of torturous events, and are one of the most misunderstood animals in recent history. Have you ever wondered how these gorgeous kitties got such a bad reputation?
Since the beginning of civilization, cats have been a presence in human culture, and were seen as companions, just as many of us see them now. In many cultures, they were seen as symbols of good luck and fortune. So, when did the 'black cat' become such a bad thing?
It began in the 13th century, as cats became entwined in a religious war, and was so effective in persuading people's beliefs, that even today, black cats still have a bad reputation as being 'bad luck.' The 'Vox in Rama' was a proclamation initiated by Pope Gregory IX, that would wage a war against Luciferians, spreading to other countries, targeting groups that wouldn't comply with the beliefs of the Catholic Church, and the cats would fall victim to persecution as well. Eventually, these concepts would follow the settlers to North America
While executions of people and cats were unrestrained in Europe, one group of felines managed to evade capture, the BLACK CATS. In actuality, they were just missed during the nighttime roundups. Many cats and witches (mostly women) had died, while the black cat numbers began multiplying (no competition with other coat patterns). The clergy theorized that the black cats were actually demons, and the witches were reincarnated as black cats. They were seen as a supernatural creation of Satan. The became feared, and seen as spooky.
As efforts focused on ending the existence of black cats, something else happened, and many people began getting sick and dying. It was blamed on the felines, who were then viewed as a curse. An all out battle to rid Europe of black cats ensued. To see one meant certain death, when they knew no other explanation. Science has since shown that cat's numbers had declined, rodent populations were rampant, and the deaths were actually due to the Black Plague. The 'Yersinia pestis' bacteria, that causes the plague outbreaks, was actually the beginning of a centuries old myth, that black cats are "bad luck."
With the rise of research, and with awareness education, the disgrace that has been done to a perfectly innocent animal, is finally ending the misconception that these kitties are anything but sinister. They deserve to be adopted, get homes, and to be treated with kindness. As lovers of so many community cats, we want word to spread that they are not bad creatures. But, as with many things, people seeking answers to a problem, aimed their focus in the wrong place.
From here on, let's celebrate their uniqueness and fantastic qualities, as a gorgeous cat, with all of those great cat qualities we, as cat lovers, enjoy. Let's write a new narrative
