7 Ways Black Cats Bring Good Luck Around the World

Black cats bless marriages

English superstition says that giving a bride a black cat on her wedding day will bring her good luck in her marriage. It's also thought that newlyweds with a black cat in their home will have a long, happy life together, and the black cat will ward off evil spirits. In much of the UK, the black of a cat is a lucky color.

While I don't necessarily condone giving cats as gifts, newlyweds or spouses-to-be should rejoice in sharing their home with a black kitty.

If you're a woman still looking for that special someone, Japanese superstition says a black cat will bring a single woman many good suitors.

Black cats draw wealth and prosperity

You might have seen the "Fortune Cats" or Maneki Neko that populate Japanese culture. Those little cat figurines with the raised paws are meant to draw good luck, wealth, and prosperity to their owners. Often they are white, but Lucky Cats also come in black.

A black Lucky Cat not only brings luck but also frightens away demons, evil energy, and stalkers. (Yes, stalkers.)

Black cats make safe homes and good harvests

Also, as my Feng Shui-inclined mom says, black cats possesses strong powers of good. If you keep your black cats happy and safe, they will keep you happy and safe. If you don't have a black cat in real life to guard your home, a black cat figurine facing north will keep bad energy and spirits away.

And while we're on the subject of gods and demons, in Norse mythology the goddess of love, fertility, and beauty, Freya, rides on a chariot pulled by two black cats. To win favor with Freya, farmers would leave bowls of milk for her companions in their fields. Freya would then bless them with a good harvest.

Black cats in the audience help a play

Cats are excellent audience members. Just ask my cat Brandy when I am moved to THE DANCE when my playlist cycles through to "Build Me Up Buttercup." To theater folks in many cultures, there is no better audience member than a black cat. If a black cat finds its way into your audience on opening night, your play will have a long and prosperous run.

Black cats lead to treasure

It's also been long believed that black cats invite not only fortune in the way of good luck, but also in the way of wealth. French peasants long believed that if a black cat was released at a crossroads where five roads intersect, the black cat would lead them to treasure.

Respecting a black cat brings fortune

And in the south of France, black cats have been called "matagot" and are known as "magician cats" or even "money cats." If shown the proper respect like being given the first bite of dinner, having a nice bed to sleep in, or having a home even after their owner's death the matagot will reward their person with wealth and good luck. (This belief does have some ties to black cats and negative connotations of witchcraft, but I choose to look at it as those who do not treat their cats well get their comeuppance.)

Black cats give sailors safe travels

English sailors could probably have used a matagot in their home to bring them some extra wealth. In ye olde times, black cats were thought to be so lucky and such and assurance that sailors would return safely home from sea that many black cats cost so much as to be unaffordable for seafarers.