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Bad Omen: Where Did the Belief About a Black Cat Come From?
30.03.2023 20:29
Updated: 15.04.2023 00:09
Grabbing a button, spitting over your left shoulder three times, making a fig in your pocket are just some of the superstitious rituals in case a black cat crosses your path.
Animals of this color have a bad reputation, although many cat owners keep pets of this color.
The Curse of the Pope
In the 13th century, Pope Gregory IX declared that cats with coal-colored fur were servants of the devil. A real hunt for animals began in Europe. Single women who had a black cat as a pet were automatically branded as witches.
The epic ended with the decrease in the number of cats causing an increase in the number of rats, which caused an epidemic of bubonic plague. Despite the harsh lesson, people retained their disdain for black cats.
How black cats were treated in Rus'
In Rus', such pets were treated positively. It was cats of this color that were the first to be let into a new home. The animal walked around the new property, and then, where the pet lay down for the first time, a bed was placed there.
Bad omen
In later times, a superstition emerged that a black cat crossing the road would bring misfortune. People would lift the animal's "curse" in various ways: holding on to a button, spitting over their shoulder, or even waiting for another person to pass along the "spoiled" road.
