Witches and Black Cat Folklore

Here is today's edition of Halloween Fun Facts.

Witches and Black Cat Folklore
Halloween is one of the most celebrated holidays of the year. Trick or treating and dressing up in costume are only a part of the fascination with Halloween. Myths and folklore abound on this holiday and one of the favorite characters of Halloween legend is the witch and the black cat. Whether the folklore is true or not, it is fun to read about them and what history has believed about them in the past. The following are a few of the most popular myths of witches and their cats.
-If a cat is found sitting on a tombstone, the deceased buried there was possessed by the devil during their lifetime.
-A kitten born in May will become a witch’s cat.
-If a black cat crossed a person’s path without hurting them, that person is believed to be protected by the devil.
-Black cats are believed to be a witch’s helper in witchcraft.
-If a witch becomes human or doesn’t practice witchcraft any longer, her black cat will no longer stay in her house.
-In ancient times, it was believed that witches became cats at night.
-It was believed that the cat’s sneaky movements and eyes that glow at night were because it embodied evil and frightening powers.
-If a black cat walks into a sick person’s room, and the person soon dies, it is believed that the cat took the person’s soul.
-Black cats found safe shelter with old women who lived by themselves. That is the basis of the belief that old maids live with a house full of cats.
-Legend states that if a cat is killed, the killer is sacrificing his soul to the devil.
-A black cat crossing a person’s path in the moonlight means death through an epidemic.
-It is believed that witches will always dress in black and can change their appearance at will.
-Fisherman’s wives believed that black cats would protect their husbands while they were at sea. This was such a popular belief that black cats were stolen on a regular basis.
-King Charles I of England believed his black cat was lucky and had it guarded day and night. When the cat died, enemies came and beheaded the King.