The Power Of The Cat

"Superstitious beliefs persist that cats, and especially black ones, can bring both good and bad fortune- a belief that is often based on geography and ownership.  As Moncrif, the first naturalist to rehabilitate the cat, wrote in his History of Cats (1727): 'the color black works very well against cats in unsophisticated minds; it heightenst he fire in their eyes, which is enough to make people believe they are witches at the very least.'  Black cats were said to be in league with the devil and as a result were often sacraficed.  Later, teh unfortunate black cat became a portent of good luck in Britian when it crossed your path; this was based upon the idea that evil had passed you by unharmed.  In North America this is reversed on the basis that the black cat is an evil spirit: its ere presence is dangerous."

As you prepare for this Halloween, keep in mind the power of the cat!

Excerpt from The Encyclopedia of the Cat by Bruce Fogle, DVM