Why Are Black Cats Considered Bad Luck?为何黑猫预示不祥？

People who love feline species are well aware that there’s nothing to fear about black cats. However， for centuries， people have continued to believe that black cats are an ominous sign. Indeed， during the peak of the ancient Egyptian dynasty （around 3000 BCE）， the reverence and worship of cats were widely known—killing a cat was even considered a capital offense. But with the rise of witchcraft in Europe， any trace of goodwill towards black cats vanished.

喜欢猫的人都知道，黑猫没什么好怕的。但几个世纪以来，人们却一直认为黑猫是不祥之兆。诚然，早在古埃及王朝的鼎盛时期（约公元前3000年），对猫的尊敬和崇拜广为人知——杀死一只猫甚至可被定为死罪——但自巫术在欧洲兴起之后，人们对黑猫便不再抱有任何善意。

While black pigmentation isn’t exclusive to specific breeds （in fact， the Cat Fanciers’ Association lists “solid black” as a color option for 22 breeds）， the Bombay breed is likely the classic type that comes to mind when people think of a black cat. Due to a high melanin pigment content， most black cats have golden yellow eyes. Although all-black cats can be either male or female， there’s a slightly higher prevalence of this coloration in males.

虽然并非只有特定品种的猫是纯黑色（实际上，国际爱猫联合会在22个猫咪品种中都列出了“纯黑”花色），但提到黑猫时，孟买猫很可能是人们最常想到的那种典型形象。由于体内黑色素含量高，大多数黑猫的眼睛呈金黄色。尽管纯黑的猫既有公也有母，但公猫的比例略高于母猫。

Black cats frequently appear in a variety of folktales derived from diverse cultures. Many of these tales about black cats are， in fact， positive. However， due to deep-rooted defamation of these animals in Western traditional culture， black cats have come to be regarded almost as a symbol of misfortune in various cultural circles. This perception becomes particularly evident when Halloween decorations start featuring content like ‘scaredy cats’.

黑猫频繁出现于不同文化所衍生出的各种民间传说中。许多关于黑猫的传说其实都是正面的，但由于西方传统文化对这种动物的诽谤根深蒂固，以至于在各个文化圈子里，黑猫几乎都开始被当作了厄运的象征。万圣节开始以“胆小猫”等作为主打装饰后，这种看法就变得尤为明显。

Bad luck for black cats

黑猫的厄运

It seems that the connection between bad luck and black cats can be traced back to the 13th century. The exact reasons and mechanisms of how cats became associated with the Devil during the Middle Ages remain unclear. However， this belief was so deeply ingrained that， during the widespread Black Death pandemic around 1348 CE， a large number of black cats were rounded up and killed. Ironically， the extermination of cats only exacerbated the plague， as the disease was often transmitted through rodents.

把厄运和黑猫联系起来似乎可以追溯到13世纪。目前尚不清楚它们在中世纪是如何以及为何与魔鬼联系在一起的，但这一观念根深蒂固，以至于在公元1348年前后的黑死病大流行时期，大量黑猫被捕杀。具有讽刺意味的是，捕杀猫只会加剧瘟疫，因为这种疾病通常是通过啮齿动物传播的。

In the 16th century， rumors of malevolent witchcraft began to circulate in Europe. Cats， especially black ones， got entangled in the witch-hunting fervor simply because many suspected witches had adopted alley cats as companions. Somehow， the term ‘companion’ transformed into ‘servant’， and the steadfast belief that witches could transform themselves into their （usually black） feline servant persisted. This notion even extended to America， becoming an indelible part of the Salem Witch Trials1.

16世纪，关于邪恶巫术的传言开始在欧洲传播，猫（尤其是黑猫）也被卷入了这场猎巫狂潮，而这仅仅是因为许多被怀疑是女巫的人收留了流浪猫来作伴。不知怎的，“同伴”就变成了“仆从”，人们坚定地相信女巫可以变形成她们的（通常是黑色的）猫咪仆从。这一观念甚至传到了美国，成为塞勒姆女巫审判中难以消除的一部分。

At the time of the witch trials， Salem， Massachusetts， was inhabited by devout Puritans， but this proved futile. The intense fear inherited from the Middle Ages regarding anything devil-related， combined with the steadfast belief that black cats were a traditional element of witchcraft， resulted in deadly consequences.

女巫审判事件发生之时，居住在马萨诸塞州塞勒姆的都是虔诚的清教徒，但这于事无补。那种从中世纪继承而来的、对任何与魔鬼有关事物的强烈恐惧感，加上坚信黑猫是传统巫术元素的看法，酿成了致命的后果。

Black cats in folklore

民间传说中的黑猫

In Scottish folklore， there exists a fairy cat known as the Cat Sìth， depicted as a large black cat with a small white spot on its chest. It was believed that this creature had the ability to steal the soul of the deceased before the gods could claim it. This belief gave rise to the practice of ‘Late Wake’， where day-and-night vigils were maintained to guard the bodies just before burial. Scots also employed effective methods such as using catnip and frequent jumping around to ward off potential Cat Sìth soul-stealers. These techniques had been proved consistently successful.

苏格兰传说中有一个名为凯西猫的猫妖，那是只大黑猫，胸前有个小白点。人们曾相信，猫妖会在死者被众神接纳前偷走其灵魂。这种观念催生出“守灵”习俗：在尸体下葬前，人们会昼夜不眠地守卫。苏格兰人还采取了一些有效的手段，比如用猫薄荷和在周围频繁跳动，以防范猫妖可能来偷走灵魂。这些方法屡试不爽。

There’s also plenty of folklore and legend associated with the actual movements of black cats. In many European countries， these feline creatures are still considered symbols of misfortune. When a black cat crosses your path， it is regarded as an even graver omen， signaling impending disaster.

还有许多民间传说与黑猫的实际行为有关。在许多欧洲国家，黑猫仍然被视为厄运的象征。黑猫从你面前走过被认为是更加严重的征兆，代表要大祸临头。

However， the Germans appear to have softened the severity of this legend. They believe that a cat crossing from right to left signifies bad luck， while one moving from left to right is considered fortunate. May you be able to guide the cat as you wish; every cat owner knows that merely getting a cat （whether black or not） to place their paws in the right spot already requires a combination of luck， skill， and a great deal of patience.

不过，德国人似乎淡化了这一传说的严重性。他们认为，猫从右向左走过代表厄运，而从左向右走则表示幸运。但愿你能让猫按照你希望的方式行动；每个养猫的人都知道，光是让猫（不管是不是黑猫）把爪子放在正确的地方就已经需要运气、技巧和极大的耐心了。

Superstitious gamblers also firmly believe that encountering a black cat on their way is bad news—if a black cat crosses a gambler’s path while they are heading out to gamble， they are meant to turn back.

迷信的赌徒也坚信，黑猫在面前经过是坏消息——如果一只黑猫在他们外出赌博时从面前走过，他们就应当打道回府。

Even some pirates held superstitions based on feline behavior， believing that if a black cat approached them， it signaled bad luck. Conversely， if the cat moved away， it was considered a sign of good fortune. According to their belief， if a black cat walked onto a ship and then departed， the ship would sink on its next voyage.

甚至一些海盗也有这种基于猫的行为的迷信。他们认为，如果一只黑猫靠近，那就是运气不好；相反，猫离开则代表好运。如果一只黑猫走上一艘船再离开，这艘船就会在下一次出海时沉没。

Black cats as good luck

代表好运的黑猫

In some local legends in Great Britain， black cats are considered symbols of good luck. In the central regions of England， people firmly believe that black cats can bring fortune， and as a gesture of blessing， they are presented as gifts to brides during weddings.

在英国一些地方的传说中，黑猫实际上是好运的象征。在英格兰中部地区，人们深信黑猫能带来幸运，并把黑猫作为礼物送给新娘，来为婚礼送上祝福。

It appears that the Egyptians’ fondness for cats has deeply influenced some European cultures. Both sailors and their wives believed that black cat is a symbol of good luck. They would keep black cats on board and at home， all in the pursuit of a double dose of fortune.

埃及人对猫的喜爱似乎深深影响了欧洲的一些文化。水手和他们的妻子都相信黑猫是幸运的象征。他们会在船上和家里都养黑猫，以期获得双倍好运。

In Japan， black cats are also regarded as symbols of good luck， and are especially valued by single women who believe that owning a black cat will attract numerous eligible suitors. In Russia， all cats are considered lucky.

在日本，黑猫也被视为好运的象征，尤其受单身女性青睐。她们相信养一只黑猫会吸引许多优秀的追求者。在俄罗斯，所有的猫都被认为是吉利的。

During Halloween， a plethora of black cat images always emerge. Additionally， you can express your love for these animals each summer by celebrating ‘Black Cat Appreciation Day’ on August 17th.

万圣节期间总会出现大量的黑猫图片。另外，你也可以在每年8月17日庆祝“黑猫感谢日”，来表达你对它们的喜爱。

（译者单位：对外经济贸易大学）

1塞勒姆女巫审判，1692至1693年发生于美国塞勒姆镇的一桩大型女巫审判案。因镇上几个女孩生了怪病，人们以为女巫作祟，开始抓捕女巫。当地约200人陆续被指控使用巫术，最终有20人被处死，5人死于狱中。