The good luck cat?

Are you superstitious?? Then I am thinking that this room may not be the ideal for you and you should look at our other rooms so you may sleep better tonight! While I was surfing the internet – I found this great picture – the black cat version of ‘Foo was here’! So I thought of applying this around the room and then add some of the things that cats may play with – most commonly – the ball of wool. I felt the red was a good color compliment to the basic black and white in the rest of the room! I tried and tried to look for rubber mice and other cats toys, only to find that so many of them – especially those in the most pet friendly place on earth – the USA – are made with ‘real’ catnip or mouse fur and I kind of went off the idea of things like that being in the rooms! But even though I love this picture – it was too hard to paint well and you can see our simpler version of a black cat on the walls. Why is it that a black cat considered superstitious? Well here is the Google search answer…… FROM: http://www.csicop.org/superstition/library/blackcat.html

There are many superstitions associated with cats, partly because the cat has lived alongside humans for many millennia. The cat was worshipped in Egypt and to kill one was considered a capital crime. When an Egyptian family ' s cat died, the cat was mummified and the family went into mourning. Romans, also, considered the cat sacred and introduced it into Europe . By the 17th Century, however, the cat began to be associated with witchcraft and it 's luck turned from good to bad in many areas. A practice that became popular for a time was to burn cats and other animals on Shrove Tuesday (before the start of Lent), in order to protect one ' s home from fire and other calamities.

Superstitions centering around the black cat are some of the most well-known and popular superstitions today. It is interesting, though, because the good or bad luck they possess is dependent on where you live in the world. In Britain and Japan , having a black cat cross your path, is considered good luck, whereas if you live in the USA or several European countries, it is bad luck to have a black cat walk by.

Good luck associated with black cats include:

Possessing a black cat.
Having a black cat greet you at a door.
Having a black cat enter your home.
Meeting three black cats in succession.
Touching a black cat.

Bad luck associated with black cats include:

Meeting a black cat early in the morning.
Having a black cat turn its back on you.
Scaring or driving away a black cat from your property.
Walking under a ladder after a black cat has walked underneath it.

FROM: http://www.petloveshack.com/hallow.html

The Black Cat: Superstition and Beliefs

Back arched, fur on end, eyes glowing, lip curled, hissing, claws drawn, ready to pounce on the first thing to cross its path: The black cat throughout history has been blamed for most of the wrongs of the world, from blasphemy to the plague.
Even today, black cats conjure up images of witchcraft and magic tales. Edgar Allan Poe wrote about one and Hollywood has made movies about them. There is even a TV sitcom, "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," which features a very sarcastic "talking" black cat named Salem .
For thousands of years, black cats have been regarded as mysterious creatures with supernatural powers and were associated with witches and even death. It was believed that witches could change into cats; in fact, it is believed they could make that change nine times. Some believe this to be the origin of the belief that cats have nine lives.
There are many superstitions associated with cats, partly because the cat has lived alongside humans for thousands of years. Superstitions centering around the black cat are some of the most well-known and popular superstitions today.

Will you worry the next time a black cat crosses your path?
It may depend on where you live in the world. In Britain and Japan , having a black cat cross your path, is considered good luck, whereas if you live in the USA or several European countries, it is bad luck to have a black cat walk by.

Here are a few cat superstitions from various countries.
A strange black cat on your porch brings prosperity. - Scottish superstition
A cat sneezing is a good omen for everyone who hears it. - Italian superstition
It is bad luck to see a white cat at night. - American superstition
Dreaming of white cat means good luck. - American superstition
In the Netherlands, cats were not allowed in rooms where private family discussions were going on.
The Dutch believed that cats would definitely spread gossips around the town.
In Egypt , it was once believed that the life-giving rays of the sun
were kept in a cat 's eyes at night for safekeeping.
To kill a cat brings seventeen years of bad luck -Irish superstition

Anyway you look at it – we wish you good luck and good health – enjoy your stay!