#5 Watch Out for Black Cats

 

 

  Halloween is just three weeks away! Time for ghosts, goblins, skeletons and witches flying through the air with black cats on their brooms. These are among the many sights we associate with the day, and especially the night of All Hallows Eve.


Sadly, for black cats, Halloween is not necessarily a day to celebrate. In fact, at this time of year, black cats are often targeted for abuse. That's why I titled this post "Watch Out for Black Cats". Instead of watching out so one doesn't cross your path, I'm hoping you'll keep a watchful eye and call authorities if you witness or hear of anyone harming a black cat - any animal for that matter.

According to an article in the St. Petersburg Times titled "Halloween: From God to Goblin," black cats and Halloween-esque rituals go back about 2,000 years to Ireland, Britain, Scotland and Wales. Evil spirits, the ancient Druids believed, were responsible for the cold weather and less daylight. A huge festival honoring Samhain, the lord of the dead, was held around October 31, the day before the Celtic New Year.

Huge bonfires, built to frighten away evil spirits and honor the souls of the dead, gave way to sacrifices of domesticated animals. Black cats were thought to be evil spirits transformed into animals. Throw the cat into the fire and dispel one more evil dead soul from the town. This brought in the Celtic New Year in purity.

Back to the aforementioned black cats riding on witches brooms. In the Middle Ages, it was a common belief that witches could divine themselves into black cats. Believing that black cats were witches in disguise, they were thrown into fires. This became a folk custom in France, Switzerland and Belgium, sanctioned by the Church. The Church in the Middle Ages decreed that cats were friends of the devil. The witch craze got so out of hand in Europe in those years that many women believed to be witches were sent to the gallows or the stake with their "familiar", their cat. (From: Why This Veterinarian Hates Halloween (But Loves Black Cats), 10/9/13 by Dr. Debora Lichtenberg, VMD)

Look around this Halloween and notice how many decorations feature a witch and her black cat. Too bad we can't just have fun with the day instead of making it about cruelty to animals as many sick (I have other terms that fit them better) people do.

More on black cats to come! Watch for my next Dog Blog - dedicated to black cats!