Friday the 13th: Ignore Bad Black Cat Superstitions
Published January 13, 2012
Friday the 13th is a day surrounded in superstition. Worrying about whether or not black cats bring bad luck shouldn't be one of them!
Ut oh . . . today is Friday the 13th. And for any of our readers who suffer from a serious case of friggatriskaidekaphobia (the fear of Friday the 13th), you may be greatly relieved by learning that the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics claim that "Fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday, than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay at home.”
Friday the 13th is a day that is certainly filled with superstitions. Some of these common superstitions make good sense; walking under a ladder might result in something hitting us in the head, and opening an umbrella indoors could poke a hole in the wall or damage precious furniture. One superstition that should be ignored, however, is worrying about a black cat crossing your path today.
While these mysterious felines have historically been associated with bad luck and have been persecuted as evil beings throughout the ages, why not think on the positive side?
In some parts of Europe, if a black cat crosses your path, this is a sign that good fortune awaits you and you have been truly blessed. In Scotland, if an unfamiliar black cat sits on your porch, it is considered a huge honor, and predictive of good fortune. Additionally, if an uninvited black cat brazenly walks into your home, your blessings are ten-fold. Furthermore, since some countries associate good luck with encountering three black cats in a row, I would imagine that touching a black cat on Friday the 13th would bring inordinate rewards.
Italy has done its part to debunk the nasty reputation black cats have garnered over the years. Several years ago, the country gave a special tribute to these beauties by celebrating Black Cat Day. They are even considered good luck charms and positive omens. These beautiful felines are revered by many cultures around the world and not considered an evil prediction at all.
For those who truly believe Friday the 13th is a day to stay in bed, you can rest easy knowing that, in 2012, the only remaining months to bear the “terrible” day are April and July. Since there is time to prepare for these two events, purrhaps adopting a black kitty from your local shelter in advance will counter any dangers, since apparently black kitties bring good luck and fortune.
Are you concerned about Friday the 13th? Share your thoughts in a comment.
Shortly after retiring as a social worker and psychotherapist, I discovered my "writer's voice"…
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Comments (6)
I had never bottle raised an orphaned pet in my life. Yet my daughter found a 4.5 oz solid black kitten at the local tire store. the woman that had the kitten said that she didn't want a black kitten but for some odd reason didn't let it finish nursing, just took it away from mom and sibs, shoved in a hat box and placed a cold, wet rag in there. at that age, the poor things can't even shiver to get warm. Daughter brought him home and I took one look and thought wow we best not get attached, this one's a goner. Well,alot of trial and error, a ton of work, and an infinite amount of luck all worked together and now we have the most beautiful and smart long haired black cat. He was a bit of a brat when he was taking his bottle, so the gorgeous guy is now named "Brat". Ugly name for a beautiful boy but it fits, and he earned it! BTW, I am NOT suggesting that anyone bottle feed a kitten just to try and get a friendlier cat. Bottle fed kittens are most likely to die, as it is much harder than it seems to raise them. They also need warmth from mom and litter mates. Many are wool-suckers or will try to nurse your ear lobes or whatever. they tend to be a bit neurotic, so please don't think I'm saying this is something that should be done. However, in a life or death circumstance, I would certainly try anything I could to save the baby!
I am happy to say that I have never had even a mild case of friggatriskaidekaphobia. However, my long aired soap oprah ended today after forty three years. But that was planned long before this date, so I do not think this has anything to do with superstition, just bad timing. I love all colors of cats, black or otherwise.
Im not worried I have always wanted an all black cat so I got my son one a year old and we love him his name is Midnight..
LOL Our Friday started with no electric. When I called in the outage the woman in the all center had a good laugh with me about it. If I was at all worried or superstitious I would be in BIG trouble. My son's black cat, midnight, is currently living with us and crosses my path many times a day. I do know that my grandpa was very superstitious though. We once stopped on the road when a black cat crossed in front of us and we sat there until another car passed us and went on it's way. Then he continued to drive. I guess for some people it is a real thing. For us? Not so much. :) Crossing my fingers!! :)
I have never subscribed to any of the aforementioned superstitions,however if there is someone standing ON a ladder I try not to walk under it...since I don't want to take a chance on knocking it over or having the person drop something on me!I LOVE black cats and consider them GOOD luck!
I'm incredulous that such closed-minded ignorance persists. In my family background, ALL cats are loved, respected, and admired. Our resident house panther having left us last year for the Rainbow Bridge, we still have the beautiful memories and photos of a very special, loving, warm, loyal and protective little man in a cat suit who graced our lives and ruled our hearts for 14 wonderful years. We love and miss you, sweet Calo.