Don't be scaredy of black cats
How did these darkest of felines get a bad rep?
Are black cats really bad luck?
Absolutely not! However, some beliefs have surprising staying power. The myth began in Europe in the 1200s, when rumors spread about the devil taking the form of a black cat. Pope Gregory IX called for an inquisition that sparked a mass slaughter of black cats and centuries of violent witch hunts.
Superstitions about black cats endure to this day, and studies show that these dark-hued felines are less likely to be adopted as a result.
Learn more about black cats, their history, and the lives and evolution of many of their feline relatives—sometimes-fierce, sometimes cuddly—at Fierce: The Story of Cats, a new exhibition at NHM.
(NHM has always had a soft spot for black cats. Below, enjoy this peek into the Archives—a sequence of images featured in the past exhibition, From Wild to Mild.)
Black kitten images from a past Natural History Museum exhibition, From Wild to Mild
For information about saving black cats and kittens, visit Black Cat Holistic Rescue or the Stray Cat Alliance.