Black cats for millennia’s have been associated with magic, mysticism and occultism. The black cat has a storied and varied history dating back to the times when the ancient Egyptians used to worship them as Gods. Black cats also assumed highly esteemed roles in numerous ancient cultures who believed that they were reincarnations of dead relatives and that they possessed the ability to predict the future.

However, despite the glory of their storied past in the Middle Ages their elevated standing in society took a drastic turn for the worse. During this period it was believed that witches had the ability to transform themselves into black cats, and as a result these unfortunate animals often found themselves thrown onto fires, or beaten to death in barrels.

To this day, because of medieval superstitions, black cats are associated with misfortune and bad omens. The modern day tradition that one must avoid a black cat crossing their path for fear of risking the omen of doom spans from ancient superstitions. Some even go as far as to suggest that a black cat is a demon in disguise whose sole purpose is to cut off a person’s access to heaven… and this is why the animal is so commonly associated with Halloween.