Since today we are celebrating cats, I thought it might be a good time to reminisce about the gallimaufry of superstitions connected to cats… especially, “black” cats…
Apparently, if a black cat has a single white hair, it is considered good luck. Not sure what it means if they have white boots.
Kittens born in May are said to have special powers, but not matter how much I searched I could not find what those “powers” might be.
Black cats protect fishermen at sea.
Put a cat in the empty cradle of newlyweds, and a baby will arrive soon.
If a cat sneezes three times, someone will catch a cold.
When a cat washes its ears a lot, it will rain, but in Japan, if a cat washes his face with his paws, it means visitors will soon arrive.
Having a cat in a theater is good luck. (Personnally, I think it is because many cats are good mousers)
And the weirdest one I could find was that if you rub a cat’s tail on your eyelid if you have a stye, it will cure it. (Under no circumstances would I ever recommend such a stunt. Of course you could snuggle next to your kitty and wait for him to twitch his/her tail in their sleep and hope it brushes your eyelid.)
Now for some superstitions unique to specific areas. Not sure if these superstitions transport with the person if they move from these areas to different areas,
Southern Europe
In parts of Southern Europe, some people believe that if a cat jumps across a person’s grave, they will return as a vampire.
Italy
In Italy, if you hear a cat sneeze, it means there’s money coming your way.
If a bride hears a cat sneeze on her wedding day, her marriage will be a good one.
But, if a cat sneezes three times, though, you’re going to come down with a cold.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, people do not have important or private conversations while a cat is in the room because they are considered gossips.
Indonesia
When people in Indonesia want rain, they pour water over a cat. (Not what I would consider a fun experience for the cat unless being bathed.)
And here in the good ole USA the myth has been perpetuated that in Pennsylvania, a German woman who wants to get married needs to “feed a cat from her shoe” and she will find a husband. But, what if she moves to another state?
I hope that this gallimaufry of superstitions gave you a smile or two… possibly money… or rain… depending on your needs…
Before we moved to Australia we had two cats, Patches, a white cat with patches of black, and Chondar, a black cat with a dusting of white in his chest. Two lovely cats, brothers, who had never been separated. They were both good luck. 🙂
Did you take them with you?
They would have had to be in quarantine for 6 months, so the answer is, NO. They lived the remainder of their lives in the old neighborhood.
Well, they were in familiar territory! 🙂