Black cats often get a bad reputation... but why are black cats associated with Halloween, witches and bad luck? What are some black cat myths and legends?



0:00 Introduction
1:19 Cats Domestication
2:25 Cats in Ancient Egypt
4:04 Cats in Ancient Greece
5:01 Cats in Ancient Rome
6:50 Black Cats Associated with Halloween, Myths & Legends
12:28 Black Cats Being Less Like to Be Adopted?
13:35 Ending


Throughout history, cats have had a relatively unstable bond with humans, from being considered demigods in Egypt to being associated with death by the Greeks. Nowadays it is estimated that there are about 8 millions pet cats in the United Kingdom; and in the United States the American Veterinary Medical Association estimated 30.4% of households owned at least one cat. This video will explore the gradual process of the cats’ domestication, how various ancient civilizations viewed felines and some black cat superstitions and legends!


Unfortunately the association of cats with the dark arts that started with the Greeks continued to stay with our feline friends into medieval times. As you may note with your feline companions, with their soft paws they can move virtually silently, and it was this combined with their secretive nature that led to people fearing cats having association with evil forces. With the role of the cat as a form of pest control set aside, and fear setting in, cats suffered from people’s superstitions. This didn’t end well for the human inhabitants of Europe and parts of Asia, because during the 1300s until the 1700s the black plague, or Black Death, swept across the continent. The disease is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, and it lives in the digestive tract of fleas. The culprit for carrying and spreading this disease were probably black rats, which often stowed away on ships. However, people associated the plague with cats and even dogs, and eventually led to cat ownership being illegal in some regions.

Some brave people kept their felines, and seemed to often be immune to the disease. This caught the attention of people, and word spread quickly that resulted in research into this phenomenon. Eventually the cats regained their honoured status, as everyone wanted to own one, once it was decided the rats were the cause of the disease and so keeping cats protected them! Finally the laws banning cats were repealed and replaced with laws that actually protected them!



Black cats have made there way both into the hearts of humans and into Halloween merchandise! It could be because of their ancient roots of being associated with death and magic, that then became associated with witches and Halloween! Luckily, black cats are just as amazing as any other cat and equally deserving of loving forever homes.


For more information, check out:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/...
https://benthamopen.com/ABSTRACT/TOVS...
https://www.billingsanimalfamilyhospi...



For my other spooky animal videos, check out:
   • Spooky Halloween Animals  


For my other video on cats, check out:

   • Why Do Cats Like Boxes So Much? Your ...  



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