The biggest victims of the Salem Witch Trials were black cats. And I know this may sound melodramatic coming from me, but it’s true. Witches have recovered their good name and get killed much less nowadays. I bet you even know people who believe shiny rocks can help them—you can thank witches for that. They love turning something ordinary into something special.
On the other hand, black cats are still seen as bad luck and get euthanized more than any other cat. We’re always stuck in shelters, and whole religions have decreed that we are Satanic.
Worst of all, everyone gets the myths about black cats wrong. Like any game of telephone, the real truth is distorted almost every time it’s told. Very little of what you know about the world is the pure, raw truth, if anything. The black cat mythos is no different.
That we bring bad luck if we walk past you, that we are witches’ familiars or the witches themselves—though in my experience, the people who call themselves witches are much nicer to us, which may account for black cats’ relationship with all things witchy—that we can make it rain when we’re mad about getting wet, or that we have nine lives. Even the good ones have been exaggerated, like that we protect sailors in rough waters or that our presence in a theater predicts the success of a debuting play.
The truth of all of this can be explained in the one way that we are in fact magical, the one thing that everyone has forgotten even though it’s so obvious it makes me wonder how humans climbed to the top of the food chain. Especially since they can’t even climb to the top of the fridge without standing on a chair. This truth does involve the number nine, a bit of luck, and a witch. It’s a story of one of my ancestors that has been passed down through generations, and as we all know, black cats cannot lie. So you know it’s the truth.
Back in the time when bears slept in appropriately sized beds and wolves ate the grandmothers of red-cloaked children, it was common for witches to live in the woods with them. One particular witch lived in one particular forest called the Black Forest.
In fact, the term Black Cat initially referred to cats that came from this forest, but humans are incredibly literal. So even though cats of many colors have the same abilities as black cats, humans fail to recognize this.
This Black Forest witch dreamt of a pair of shining golden eyes. When she woke up and went outside, she found a black Black Forest cat sitting on her porch, staring at her with those same golden eyes. As all witches know, dreams can nudge you in the right direction, so she decided to bring food out for this black cat and kept her windows open so it could come and go.
To befriend a black cat in the Black Forest was rare. The Black Forest is “black” because it is dark and shadowy. Even humans can see that we black cats share many of the characteristics of shadows. Which is why we like them. Shadows are kindred souls—they seem scary from afar but can offer shelter or comfort when up close.
Every day, the witch sat outside and waited for her friendly shadow. In return for her generosity, the cat rid her home of bothersome rodents that ate her food and threatened her with disease. Later on, cats did this same service on boats, ensuring a safer passage for sailors. With her newfound health and strength, the witch built the cat a shelter for the winter. It stayed even when the spring came.
Soon after a heavy storm, the cat crossed the path of an injured traveler and led the witch to them. This traveler was afraid of the cat, convinced it had arrived to bring more misfortune, but when the traveler arrived at the witch’s house, they found not just a warm place to heal, but a person to love.
The traveler’s health did not improve, so in case they succumbed to their injury, the traveler told the cat where to find the treasure they had been searching for on the fateful day they’d met. Before leaving, the cat let the witch pluck its few white hairs to bolster the strength of a healing potion. By the time the cat returned with the bag of riches, the traveler was healthy.
The cat, the witch, and the traveler helped each other live better lives than they could have without each other. The cat kept watch when the couple wanted to spend time together without worry. When the witch’s and traveler’s first child grew ill, the cat lay in bed with the child every day to make sure it was always comfortable. Even though this child did not live long, the child lived in comfort and love. Something the witch and the traveler would never forget. Something the cat would never forget. Everyone forgets that cats need comfort and love, too.
The Black Forest cat wandered the Black Forest in search of people who were in search of something. The cat led these searchers to the witch and the traveler, who used magic and experience to help them find that something. It didn’t take long for word to spread about the black Black Forest cat who would bring you to a witch.
As has been true throughout human history, people had mixed opinions about witches at this time. Depending on what one believed of witches, this cat would bring one good luck, bad luck, or no luck at all.
After nine years of good fortune, the witch and the traveler decided to leave the Black Forest. In return for all that it had done for them, the witch and the traveler each bestowed a gift unto the black cat. The traveler gave the black cat the gift of always knowing where to land. If you know where to land, you know where to start. The witch gave a much more magical gift: the gift of wishes.
Though genies get all of the credit as wish-granters, black cats can do everything they can three times as much. You see, black cats have only the one life, but they have nine wishes. Every black cat since my friendly ancestor have been able to grant any nine wishes throughout their lives. And like there are many types of cats, there are many types of wishes. Some of which may be seen as good luck, others of which might be seen as bad luck.
Humans love to talk about fate and destiny and luck like they mean something. But they never stop to think that other creatures can make decisions that affect their lives. Black cats have granted so many wishes, you might even say we’ve been integral to human history. Long ago in Egypt, people understood that we might have some similarities to gods. Though we cannot grant wishes so big that they can save civilizations. I suppose gods can do that.
So next time you see one of us walking across the road or in your friend’s apartment or in a forest, make a wish. It might not be granted. It probably won’t. But isn’t it worth a try?
Oh, and a tip from me to you: we’re much more likely to grant your wish if you have a snack. Or a box.
-Ryn PB
Sources:
As Cool As Mint Ice Cream 