October 27 is National Black Cat Day!

Today we celebrate the velvet beauties that are black cats! It’s no surprise that black cats and Halloween seem to go hand in hand, but what you may not know is the bad reputation these felines wrongly possess. For many years, black cats were feared and even preyed upon simply because of fabricated stories of these divine creatures being associated with evil – and it couldn’t be further from the truth.

On June 13, 1233, Pope Gregory IX issued an official church document where he declared black cats as an incarnation of Satan. This is where everyone began fearing black cats and went as far as to killing them. Since the church basically ruled during those times, you did not go against the church.

If being seen as evil wasn’t enough, these sleek creatures were even blamed for the black plague. For those who did not stay awake during history class, rats were the ones spreading the Bubonic plague (and lack of proper hygiene did not help). While people were shortening the black cat population, they were not aware of the fact they were contributing to the overgrowing population of rodents.

Another distorted view on black cats was their connection with witches. Witches were seen as women who respected all things natural, including animals, therefore, women who owned cats were seen as possible witches who worshipped the devil. Adding to myth, it was believed that witches who owned black cats could transform into their furry familiars which would lead to both the witches and black cats’ demise.

Black cats were seen as bad luck for many years but recently witches have jumped on the trendy train. From Broad City to Bob’s Burgers, witches seem to be the cool thing for all women. I mean, we sacrifice our blood every month, we can make a human inside our bodies, we are complex creatures who can make another person fall to their knees in admiration. We are mystical creatures in our own right! It’s no surprise society is now embracing the darker and more curious side of life, including the beauty of black cats and rightfully so!

While showing off your trendy black lip stick, black coats, and black boots, don’t use your black cats as accessories just for the “Likes.” Black cats have so much more to offer than being something cool during spooky season and they are just like any other feline in the shelter looking for furever homes. History has sorely misrepresented the beauty and elegance these wonderful creatures possess. Celebrate them today and every day afterwards and share those black kitty faces and black toe beans!