Black Cats
by Jon Burch Photography
Title
Black Cats
Artist
Jon Burch Photography
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photography
Description
Superstitions about black cats are common and are reinforced during the Halloween season. Folklore tells us that if a black cat crosses your path, bad luck is sure to follow. In 16th-century Italy, people believed that if someone was sick, they would die if a black cat lay on their bed. The Normans and Germanic people believed that, like the black raven, a black cat was a sign that a death would soon occur.
The superstitions surrounding black cats have affected them so negatively that these cats have some of the lowest adoption rates and the highest euthanasia rates out of all cats in American shelters. Some adoption agencies and shelters won’t even consider finding a “forever home” for a black cat until after Halloween for fear that they will be tortured or sacrificed. This fear arises more from the existence of cruel people than statistical evidence that such events are taking place, but it is enough to keep black cat adoptions on hold until after the holiday.
The connection began during the Middle Ages when people became sick and died without understanding the scientific truths of their illnesses. These occurrences often had people looking for something or someone to blame for their sickness. The mysterious nature of the black cat made them a target, more so than other cats because they blend with shadows and appear “spooky”. They were quickly associated with the devil, witches, witchcraft, and evil, other sources of ill health and misery. Some believed that the devil sent black cats to assist witches with their evil deeds and practice of magic, and that witches could shape-shift into cat-form so they could slink around in the shadows casting spells on unsuspecting people.
One of the illnesses that brought so much fear to those living in the Middle Ages was the Bubonic Plague or Black Death. However, the plague was caused by a bacteria spread by rats. Many cats were likely infected as their prey spread the disease, and in fact, the cats could also spread the plague to humans, adding fuel to the animosity against them. The rat population likely surged as their cat predators, were eliminated by the disease and by superstition.
The fear of black cats traveled to the United States with the Puritans, who were on guard against all things of the devil, including witches and their counterparts including black cats. Over time, superstitions about black cats became embedded in American folklore. The myths traveled the world and spread fear, literally leading to the demise of thousands of black cats who suffered during unconscionable mass killings.
Some digital effects were applied to the original image after the photograph was made. No electrons were harmed during the transition.
Image copyright 2022 Jon Burch Photography.
Uploaded
December 17th, 2022
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