15 spiritual meanings when you see a black cat

Some people are afraid of black cats. Others avoid them because they’re harder to frame for the Instagram aesthetic. Black cat adoptions increase during Halloween, but many shelters will turn down requests in case the cat is being used for a ritual prank or as part of a witch’s costume.

In either case, the cat may be injured or abandoned soon after. Unfortunately, other times of the year are the least likely times for black cats to be adopted from cat rescue centers. But what is the spiritual meaning of black cats? You will be surprised that some can bring good luck! let’s find out!!

What does it mean when you see a black cat?

1. Wealth and prosperity

Many people think black cats are bad luck. When a black cat crosses the highway in India, most people park their cars. Sadhguru explains how big cats, especially panthers and tigers, cross an open area and then pause or sit to observe their tracks. This posture seems so human that people thought the cats were looking at them and they would reflexively stand and wait.

But in many ancient traditions, black cats brought wealth. Most cats are happy to bring presents to their owners, such as a dead rat, frog, or bird. So in some cultures you could catch a matagot or mandagot by offering chicken and then carrying the cat home without looking back. If you gave your Matagot the first sip or bite of your meals each day, he would repay you with a gold coin.

2. Safe passage at sea

Seafarers and conquerors discovered new worlds by crossing the oceans in today’s rickety boats and ships. The ships used sails and oars and it was a miracle anyone made it home! And because these ships often had rats, it made sense to have a cat or two on board. Black cats were considered particularly lucky, especially among the British and Irish.

They were considered such strong protectors that it cost a fortune to buy one and take it on the boat. Elsewhere, fisher wives typically kept a black cat at home and spoiled it because it guaranteed their husbands returned safely. Both England and Ireland are islands, meaning the majority of people were seafarers, who appreciated these dark felines.

3. Bad luck and evil

One of the most common misconceptions about black cats stems from their association with witchcraft. They are often seen as confidants. These magical companions of witches and wizards are believed to have powers that involve astral projection. Some can even disguise themselves as humans or act as containers for their owner’s soul. Therefore they symbolize death.

This is also the reason why many people consider black cats to be vessels for demons. A superstition says that if you see a black cat, you should step back three (or thirteen) steps to avoid its bad aura. Other people kill black cats on sight to prevent them from spreading evil. It is general advice that if you see one crossing the path in front of you, turn around and go home.

4. Love and Marriage

Cats in general – and black cats in particular – are considered helpful guardians because they repel rats and snakes. In Old England, newlyweds often received a black kitten as a wedding gift. It makes sense — these communities were largely agricultural, and the cats controlled rodents that could damage food in the gardens, as well as granaries and silos.

Black cats were therefore seen as a boon and brought wealth in the form of hearty harvests. And by killing pests that cause disease, cats ensure their owner’s family a strong, long, and healthy life. Meanwhile, in a far-off island nation, single women got black cats because they were thought to attract husbands. Oddly enough, the opposite is true today!

5. Success for theater people

We’ve already talked about how and why farmers love cats, no matter what color they are. But among the northmen Freya raised a chariot with two black cats. Farmers omitted milk from Freya’s cats (although we now know that most cats are lactose intolerant). In return, Freya would bless her with a bountiful harvest. What about actors, writers and musicians?

Many art lovers keep cats because they are flexible and independent, making them easy to fit into eccentric exhibition plans. But even in the Shakespearean days, they believed having a black cat in the audience would make the show successful. Especially if it showed up on opening night. So if you’re starting a show, get a black cat for the premiere!

6. Treasures and pirate booty

Earlier we mentioned Mandagots and how they would grant you a gold coin every day if you let them eat in front of you at every meal. We also talked about why seafarers loved them so much, both practically and spiritually. So it makes sense that pirates would have black cats on their ships. And that those black-bearded kittens (pun intended) would know all the hiding places.

This may be why the ancient Gauls considered black cats as detectors of organic treasure. They believed that if you lured a matagot and took it to a five-forked crossroads, the cat would show you the path that would lead you to the treasure. It would essentially choose its path to its previous owner’s home – a pirate with hidden loot. So they were considered secret fortune finders.

7. Good or bad luck, depending on the direction

Some of us have a hard time telling right from left, and that can be difficult if you live in Germany. Long before the Nazis, Bavarians and other tribes had strong pagan practices that included fertility rituals and sacrificial festivals. So black cats were both feared and revered. If you saw a cat crossing in front of you and it suddenly turned direction, it was considered an omen.

Logically, that makes sense, because cats have such keen senses that if they’re avoiding a certain spot, you probably should too! That is, if the cat that crossed your path went from right to left, it was considered bad luck. But if it went left to right, you’d be in luck for the rest of the day. By the way, the Germans drive on the right, just like us…

8. White cat magic… if you can find it

Nowadays we consider Turkey as the nation that loves cats the most. But interestingly, a 2020 survey showed that Germany and France are the top two countries when it comes to house cats. So it’s not surprising to learn about a spiritual French myth associated with black cats. They believe every black cat has a single white hair, which is said to be the source of their magic.

If you can successfully argue with the cat and find the white hair without getting a single scratch, it means that the cat approves of you and will bring you wealth, success and good luck. This was an old belief, and the truth is that many black cats turn gray or white hair when they are not feeling well. And of course this doesn’t apply to tuxedo cats, which have a white chest or neck.

9. Household monitors and energy sensors

It has been scientifically proven that cats can see and hear things that we cannot. So they suddenly freeze, stare into space, growl, hiss, or run away. For some reason, they love doing this during the witching hours. As humans, we assume they are looking at ghosts or specters and warning us of unseen malevolent forces. And they heal wounds by purring.

Their purrs range in frequency from 25 to 140 Hz, which has been shown to heal bones faster. That could be why we believe they have nine lives. Based on all of these extrasensory abilities, cats can help you recognize when someone in your circle has negative intentions. Because black cats are particularly sensitive familiars, they can pick up bad psychic vibrations and even detect diseased cells.

10. Fertility and good health

The ancient Egyptians worshiped a goddess named Bast or Bastet. She was often depicted in statues as a black cat wearing precious jewels and she was the goddess of fertility and disease. This makes sense as Egypt relied on the flooding of the Nile basin for its survival and agricultural prosperity. And, of course, cats protected crops from rats and other rodents.

Many people wore cat amulets to protect themselves from evil forces. Perhaps because cats stay home all day and sleep for almost 20 hours, Bastet was the guardian of households, wives, and childbirth. Cats also seem to be sneaky and mysterious, so Bastet was thought to protect matriarchs’ secrets and treasures. They kept evil spirits away when no men were around.

11. Physical form of the devil

The origin of this belief has two possible paths. Because people believed that witches hid their souls in black cats, people would attack the cat to kill the witch, which was sometimes just a lonely old woman who kept cats for company. It was also believed that these witches would turn into black cats at night so they could camouflage themselves and cast their spells in the dark.

But a closer connection comes from Pope Gregory IX. As Catholicism began to spread, church leaders adapted some pagan practices and outlawed others. Many pagans worshiped back cats, so the pope officially made black cats a sign of the devil to discourage pagan practices. Unfortunately, the idea stuck. He also prevented people from eating horses, a common pagan sacrifice.

12. Personal power in magic

When the Pope said black cats were bad, anecdotally, so many of these creatures were being killed that their absence helped the black plague spread faster. But Christianity has such a strong cultural influence that even today in France — where cats were once considered wealthy matalots — some people still spit three times over their shoulder whenever they see a black cat.

That means both the US and UK have declared a Black Cat Day…