As anyone acquainted with a black cat knows, our ebony feline friends are truly wonderful and loving creatures. But did you know that pure black cats are very rare? Most have a few white hairs somewhere on their body. Here are some more fun facts about black cats:
- Fishermen and sailors traditionally believed that having a black cat onboard ensured a safe journey home. (Bonus: fewer rats, too!) English sailors in particular believed that keeping their onboard cat happy would ensure good weather at sea, and would watch how the cat groomed himself to foretell the weather.
- 18th-century pirates had mixed opinions about black cats. Cats coming towards a person were considered bad luck, cats walking away were good luck. If a black cat came onboard but then left the ship, the vessel was doomed to sink on its next voyage.
- King Charles I of England once owned a black cat that he adored and doted on. As legend has it, the day the cat died the king proclaimed, “Alas, my luck has run out.” And sure enough, he was arrested for treason the very next day and eventually beheaded.
- There are many superstitions in the theatre world, and black cats are one of them. Many stage actors see it as an auspicious sign whenever a black cat is present. Some actors have even been known to bring black cats backstage with them, hoping their feline good luck charm will ensure a winning performance.
- A black cat is not one specific breed. In fact, there are as many as 22 recognized breeds that can have solid black coloring. The only breed with all-black felines is the Bombay.
- Male cats are more likely to be black than females.
- Famous black cats include Felix the Cat; Isis, a cat who appeared on an episode of Star Trek; Salem, feline star of “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch”; and Snowball II of “The Simpsons.”
- John Lennon once had a black cat named Salt (and a white one named Pepper).
