Witches, candy, black cats, and goblins are all things associated with Halloween! However, while some associations may be obvious, such as candy and Trick-or-treating, or witches and goblins being spooky creatures, why do black cats have this association?
Halloween started off as the ancient tradition called Samhain, marking the transition from summer to winter. The actual association of black cats with Halloween dates back to the Middle Ages, particularly in Europe, where many people believed that cats, especially black ones, were symbols of the Devil and portended bad omens. Similarly, when people were often accused of witchcraft, the accused often had cats, and in many cases, black ones.
During the Middle Ages, it wasn’t terribly uncommon for cats to be killed, considering their newly founded association with evil. Some even accused these cats of spreading the Bubonic Plague resulting in the mass killings. However, this backfired as the cats were no longer decreasing the infected rat population.
Today, black cats are still perceived as spooky and mysterious, earning them their own unique decorations, costumes, and even stories. But, despite this, these cats still have heavy, harmful superstitions surrounding them, which leads to them having the lowest adoption rate, higher abandonment rate, and even killings during the month of October.