Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Good or Bad: A Black Dog's Curiosity of Black Cats

Halloween.  
That crazy holiday when front lawns are decorated as cemeteries, humans get dressed up in all kinds of silly or ghoulish costumes and superstitions creep back out of the woodwork to scare the pants off everyone.  People are strange.  Black cats are evil.

Black Cats, Bad Luck
What?  Why do black cats get such a bad rap?  Why do people believe:
  • a black cat was an omen of death if it jumped on the bed of an ill person,
  • that black cats could foretell poverty and sickness
  • that to liberate a reincarnated soul, a black cat should be thrown into a furnace
  • that a black cat  crossing one's path meant death in an epidemic.

I went off to ask my Halloween cats "Why? Why are black cats perceived as bad luck?"...then I realized, none of them are black.  Great dawg...just as luck would have it, I suppose.  Obviously, I am not one who looks at the color of another's fur before determining whether they can be my friend or not.


Considering it is almost Halloween, I then went yard to yard to find a black cat to interview.  It was a daunting and fruitless task.





And they say "Curiosity killed the cat"!  Back to square one.

Black Cats, Good Luck
Then I read this article on Pet360 and you know what it said?  "Not all superstitions surrounding black cats are bad, though."  Really?  The article said:
  • the ancient Egyptians treated black cats as royalty and killing them was a capital offense
  • fisherman’s wives kept black cats for luck when their husbands went to sea to keep danger away
  • in Scotland, it's believed that a black cat arriving on a porch brings prosperity and
  • in Britain, it’s thought that if a black cat resides in a house, a young woman living there will have many suitors.

Now that's what I like to hear!  You can read the entire Pet360 article HERE

Yet, despite all those "Good Luck" superstitions black cats (and black dogs) are still the last to be adopted from a shelter.  I don't understand why, because the color Black can signify:
  • prestige and power
  • independence and determination
  • mystery and intrigue
  • sophistication and glamour.

Sophistication and Glamour...I believe I have found an angle.  Humans get dressed in "black tie" for formal occasions.  There's the black business suit and the "little black dress" every woman should have.  Black is chic and goes with anything. 

Thus, black cats (and black dogs) are good because they match anything (or anyone) and should be adopted just like every other color cat and dog.  That's not evil...that's style!

Happy Halloween and stay safe!






Disclaimer:  I am a member of the Blogpaws Pet Bloggers Network.  I have been chosen as a Pet360 Ambassador Blogger and in exchange for this post I have a chance to win a Pet360 gift card.


51 comments:

  1. Ello Oz my pal.....cat's is trubble...bleev me....you can kwote I on dat and use it as sytayshun for Wikipeddiea article too...

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  2. High Paw Oz! Cats and dogs of all colors deserve loving homes.
    Hugs,
    Pepper

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  3. Black Cats, never seen one around here, just us BLACK, Stubborn Scotties, and we are awesome!

    The Mad Scots

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  4. Oz you make one fine roving reporter and dang you tried your best to get the best interviews...maybe you just could not see the black cats in the dark.
    Hugs Madi your bfff

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    1. I didn't even think of that, Madi! Good grief.

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  5. I kinda like black cat good luck
    Lily

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  6. Yes black cats are good luck over here. So we like them. Have a terrific Tuesday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  7. Great job, Oz! We have TWO black kitties, and all they've brought into our house is LOVE and much joy. :)

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    1. Fantastic!! I knew that "bad luck" stuff was just a bunch of hokum!

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  8. Buz Buzzzz darn it busy ~ Ringy Lingy Dingy Hello you have reached Oz The Great and Powerful leave a message ~ Darn I got the answering machine. Oh Well Oz your theory about Egyptians treated black cats as royalty and killing them was a capital offense well DUH if you killed them it brought them bad luck.
    Thanks for stopping by
    Sweet William The Scot

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    1. Well duh is right, Sir William! You are always so smart!

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  9. My grandma and grandpaw have 3 kitty cats, one of which is black (with brown highlights...I don't know what those are, but that's what Mom and Grandma say). She's pretty evil, but not because of her coloring. It's because she's queen and everyone has to be OK with that. So I keep a healthy respect of distance for her.
    -Mister

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    1. I hear a LOT of cats like to be queen...or king. Though I do try and give them their space I just can't help to try and play with them sometimes! Some of them, like my buddy Lynx, will play fun games with me particularly "Pssst....come here...BOP a dog in the nose"!

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  10. We think ALL cats are bad news. We have two and all they do is cause us trouble! BOL

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  11. Hi Oz, lil Lace was kinda upset - got herself a bigger attitide than normal as she wasn't posted. Lynx is being all coy about him being in the post...yikes could be a bad night for me and Lenox, dude. It's hard to keep the peace cuz.. Peace out Oz...
    Levi and Lenox...

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    1. Oh Levi...we didn't have a photo of the elusive Lace when we were writing this post. Tell Lace I will surely use her photo next time...now that I have one.

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  12. Yep, you got it Oz, black critter rock!!!

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  13. I have a black cat sleeping right next to me right now. :)

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  14. Küster and Flattery completely agree with you! I am baffled as to why so many humans let a little thing like the color of your fur influence them one way or another!

    Bunny

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    1. I don't understand what our fur color has to do with us being great pets or being good/bad luck. It seems rather silly if you ask me.

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  15. Wow Oz, is that your yard? BOL it looks pawsome! I love wearing the color black. It's probably my favorite color for clothes! Therefore, I must be envious of you dogs and cats that have black furs ;)

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    1. Oh, I wish Miss Ann but those are actually two of my neighbors' yards. They are fun decorations, aren't they? See, black is stylish like I said!

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  16. Great post and love those photos! I'm partial to black cats and dogs... :-)

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    1. Thank you...and I am glad someone is partial to black dogs and kitties! It's a shame we must get a bad rap just for our fur color.

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  17. I'm a fan of black cats and black dogs, they are beautiful. Thanks for this interesting post Oz :o) I think we should do like the old egyptians, to kill an animal is a capital offense ...

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  18. Black cats must be lucky cause Alfie sure isn't bawahwhhahhwhha xxooxxx

    Mollie and Alfie

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    1. Oh Mollie, don't let Alfie hear you say that he is bad luck because he isn't black! BOL

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  19. Great post, Oz. I'd love to have a "tuxedo" kitty. Except that Rita hates cats, and I'm allergic. :(

    Great pics. You were very brave to ask questions at the cemetery! There's no stopping you when you need to get your story!

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    1. Tuxedo kitties are very pretty/handsome! And nope...there's no stopping me when I am in need of answers. BOL

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  20. What a cute and creative post! We had a black cat and a black dog, neither were bad luck and both were super nice. Just tell black pets, especially cats to stay indoors around this scary holiday.

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    1. Thanks Emma! Black cats and dogs are super nice, I agree!

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  21. Great way to present it OZ, Golden Claps!!! In Asia "black" is not a good color but its changing as black is classy. My BFF is a Black Cat. He MEOWS at me all times. He made an appearance on my blog when we reviewed Zukes Cat Treats. You are brave to roam around your neighborhood at night. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

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    1. Thanks Sugar! Black is classy, you are so right! And guess what I saw today on my walk?!? A black cat! Where was he when I was looking for black cats to interview?!?

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  22. That was some funny stuff Oz, you made me laugh.

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    1. Oh, I am so glad I gave you a chuckle.

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  23. We had a black cat growing up, and we had to be very careful about him not getting out during halloween due to risks of superstitious people killing him. He ended up living to the ripe old age of 17, crossed my path enumerable times and hey...I'm still here...

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    1. People would really kill a black cat on Halloween?! WTD? I am so glad you kept him safe and that he lived to such an old age.

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  24. Black kitties are the best!

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  25. Its such a stupid superstition, I do feel for black kitties out there xx

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  26. Awesome post Oz! I love black cats. I have one of my own, and I love her very much!!! :)

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    1. Thank you and I a so glad you have a black kitty to love!

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Cairn cuddles,
Oz the Terrier