- Do you have a black cat?
Black cat fun facts are exactly what you need before Fall. The black cat is pretty much the mascot of the spooky season and here’s all the facts:
- There are as many as 22 recognized breeds that have a solid black coloring.
- The Bombay cat is the only all-black feline. Did you know this as one of the black cat fun facts?
- The Bombay cat was developed in the 1950s. They crossed a Sable Burmese with a black American Shorthair. The point was to create a cat that looked like a miniature black panther.
- Black cats were usually cared for by poor, lonely women. These women were accused of witchcraft and black cats got a bad rep from this.
- Black cats with an underlying tabby gene may have faint stripes that can
appear after bathing in the sun. The sun’s rays bread down the pigment in the purr and reveals the (hidden) tabby coloring. This is a suntan and one of the best of the black cat fun facts. - The Goldeneye is a true onyx-hued cat with a genetic makeup that produces a lot of melanin. The melanin makes their coats black and their eyes amber.
- Witches were known to prefer black cats because of their ability to remain unseen in dark places. When witch hunts grew in popularity, superstitions about black cats began.
- All cats, including black cats, were considered sacred and worshiped in Ancient Egypt.
- Bastet, the goddess, was a deity shown as a woman with the head of a black cat and strongly associated with domestic cats.
- Each house and temple in Ancient Egypt had at least one cat. This was a way to bring luck into your family or so they thought. This is the most fabulous of all the black cat fun facts.
- Sailors and fishermen also thought that having a black cat onboard would bring the ship good luck and guarantee a safe journey. (Because of this, there were also less rats to deal with.)
- Fishermen’s wives would also keep black cats at home thinking this would ensure their husbands a safe return from the sea.
- Researchers from the National Institute of Health discovered that a genetic mutation that causes cat’s fur to be black also protects them from certain diseases.
- Cats and humans experience some of the same health issues, including Cancer and Alzheimer’s. Experts think that studying these fascinating felines could possibly help humans to battle these illnesses.
- Maria Assunta had a cat she named Lucky Tommaso. This cat made the Guinness Book of World Records. The furry companion was gifted 10 million euros upon the death of its owner. (The story is that this kitty was rescued by his loving owner after living as a stray on the streets of Rome.)
- Hollywood directors learned that most films could be easily improved with the presence of a cat. This is one of the coolest black cat fun facts.
- Salem, the cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Binx from Hocus Pocus are both famous black cats.
- The first black cat that made it to stardom was Pepper, a Maltese cat born under the floor of Keystone Studios in 1912. She crawled up through the floorboards in the middle of a scene, making a name for herself.
- Lonely women are known as cat ladies, but this stereotype isn’t actually correct. In certain parts of the world, owning a black cat can not only improve your love life but could even help you attract potential suitors.
- National Black Cat Day is August 17th, each and every summer.
What do you think of these black cat fun facts? It may still be summer but some of us are pretty stoked for the Fall.