5 Strange Cat Superstitions That Aren’t True: Myths Debunked
Cats are interesting animals that have been living with humans for thousands of years, so while they shouldn’t be strange creatures to us, we don’t completely understand them, as is evident by the weird and spooky cat superstitions that have emerged over the years. Are you curious about the superstitions that people believed recently and in times long past that aren’t true? Here are the top ones that you should know about.
The Top 5 Cat Superstitions (Debunked)
1. Pregnant People Shouldn’t Be Around Cats
Believe it or not, cat superstitions and pregnancy used to be a big deal. It was commonly thought among people in several areas of Europe that cats could transfer their faces to unborn babies. Therefore, cats being touched, held, or cuddled by pregnant people was discouraged. Also, in Portugal, people thought that cats could inflict unborn babies with nasty, hairy moles, while in England, it was thought that babies could be born with cat-shaped birthmarks due to feline shenanigans.
There is no truth to this superstition and has been debunked time and again over the years. Therefore, few people in today’s world have even heard of these cat and pregnancy superstitions. People can safely be around cats while they are pregnant, with no danger posed to the unborn child.
2. A Wet Cat Means Rain
In places like Indonesia, cats are associated with different types of weather. For instance, a wet cat is thought to be a precursor to rain. In the past, if people wanted it to rain, they would pour water on their felines in hopes of inspiring the rain clouds to let loose. The idea is that the cat would get upset about becoming wet and would make it rain as a form of revenge.
Of course, there is no truth to this superstition. Just because a cat is wet doesn’t mean it will rain. So, it’s never a good idea to get your kitty wet when you need your outdoor garden watered.
3. “Cat Ladies” Can Easily Find Men to Wed
We’ve all heard tales about “cat ladies” in some form, and in today’s world, the story usually goes that a cat lady cannot find a man to marry and will end up being single for the rest of their life. However, a superstition of the opposite message once became popular due to a book about German tradition. A woman would only have to feed her cats from her shoes to find a man for marriage.
The problem was that there was no word on how marriage would come about. This is probably because the idea was nothing more than that. There is absolutely no reason to try feeding a cat out of a shoe to find opportunities to marry. You’re better off attending a speed-dating event or asking a friend to set you up on a blind date!
4. Cat Sneezes Are Signs of Good or Bad Luck
Many Italians believe that when they hear a cat sneeze once, it means good luck is around the corner. A couple of sneezes in a row means extra money will be acquired. Upon hearing a cat sneeze on her wedding day, a bride can take it as a sign that her marriage will work out well. However, it’s also said that if a cat sneezes three or more times in a row, a cold is likely to take over.
This group of superstitions is nothing more than rumors, and a cat’s sneeze should be taken no more seriously than a human’s.
5. Black Cats Are Bad Luck
Some people believe that it’s bad luck for a black cat to cross their paths. Other people believe that simply seeing a black cat is enough to lead to bad luck in life. Then there are those who think that seeing a black cat on Halloween is what triggers bad luck.
No matter the case, the only difference between a black cat and any other cat is their coat color, and there is nothing about a black fur coat that could trigger any kind of bad luck. If you’re like most people, you have come into contact with at least one black cat in your lifetime, and you likely didn’t experience any noticeable bad luck that could be correlated to the sighting.
Conclusion
With all the cat-related information out there, it can be tough to determine which details are fact and which are fiction. Now you know that these cat superstitions are not true and won’t have any impact on your life in any way. Feel free to own a cat if you’re pregnant and not worry about coming across a black feline!
Featured Image Credit: Sebastian Schuster, Shutterstock
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Rachael has been a freelance writer since 2000, in which time she has had an opportunity to research and write about many different topics while working to master the art of fusing high-quality content with effective content marketing strategies. She is an artist at heart and loves to read, paint, and make jewelry in her spare time. As a vegan, Rachael is obsessed with helping animals in need both in her community and anywhere in the world where she feels she can make a difference. Animals also happen to be her favorite topic to write about! She lives off the grid in Hawaii with her husband, her garden, and her rescue animals including 5 dogs, a cat, a goat, and dozens of chickens.
