Whether it’s because of their long history, their worship as gods by ancient Egyptians or their mysterious personalities, one thing is for certain: there are more cat superstitions around the world than there are for just about any other animal!
We’ve gathered up superstitions, both old and not-so-old, that surround our beloved cats. While some portend of bad luck with just the sighting of a cat, we all know the truth: no matter the color, no matter where we see them, no matter if they sneeze or groom or purr, cats bring us good luck every day they share their lives with us!
General cat superstitions
- Cats have nine lives.
- Cats spread gossip so they should not enter rooms where private discussions are taking place. (Netherlands)
- When you see a one-eyed cat, spit on your thumb, stamp your palm with your thumb and make a wish.
- The three hairs on the end of a cat’s tail are the devil’s hairs.
- If you smear butter on a cat’s paws, he won’t run away. (England)
- A cat grooming herself means company is coming.
- Killing a cat means 17 years of bad luck. (Ireland)
- When you move into a new home, pass the cat in through a window instead of the door so the cat will remain in the new home.
Superstitions about death and cats
- A tortoiseshell cat sighting is an omen of a death by accident. (France)
- A cat that lies on the bed of a sleeping man is an omen of death. (Italy)
- If a black cat crosses your path in moonlight it is an omen for death in an epidemic. (Ireland)
- If a cat jumps across a grave, that corpse will return as a vampire.
- Two cats fighting by a grave are the devil and an angel fighting for the soul of the deceased person.
- A purring cat means a ghost is in the room.
- If a funeral procession meets a black cat along the way, another family member will die. (England)
- A cat with a black mark on his back like a kimono is possessed by the soul of a deceased relative and must be treated with respect. (Japan)
Sneezing cat superstitions
- If a cat sneezes three times, someone else is going to catch a cold.
- Hearing a cat sneeze is good luck. (Italy)
- Hearing a cat sneeze on your wedding day is good luck.
- If you hear a cat sneeze, money is on its way.
Weather superstitions related to cats
- Cat clawing at your curtains? That means windy weather is on the way! (England)
- Are you cat’s eyes dilated? Rain is on the way! (Wales)
- Cats can cause a storm at sea. (England)
- Bad weather is approaching if a cat licks his fur against the grain.
- If a cat licks his fur on a boat, it means a hailstorm is coming.
- A cat sitting with her back to the fireplace means cold weather is coming.
- A cat can start a storm with magic stored in the cat’s tail.
- Does your cat sleep with all four paws tucked beneath her? That means cold weather is one the way. (England)
- A wet cat can make it rain. (Indonesia)
- Pouring water on a Korat cat can make it rain. (Thailand)
- Rain is coming if a cat is washing her ears.
- Cats looking out the window mean approaching rain.
- Bathing a cat will make it rain. (Indonesia)
Kitten superstitions
- Kittens born in May are bestowed with special powers and are witches’ familiars.
- Unless a cat moves her litter seven times, the kittens will never open their eyes.
- If black kittens are born in a silo, you will have a good harvest. (Latvia)
- If a cat has kittens in your house, it is a sign that your house has no evil spirits.
- When kittens are born in your house, you will have prosperity within three months.
- Dreaming of kittens means influential friends are looking out for you.
Good luck cat superstitions
- Blue eyed cats are good luck. (Russia)
- Older cats are luckier omens than young cats. (China)
- Polydactyl cats bring good fortune.
- Light colored cats bring silver to their owner while dark colored cats attract gold. (Buddhism)
- A Japanese Bobtail cat is a sign of good luck.
- Gray cats mean good luck. (India)
- If you head off on a journey and see a cat on your left side, it is a sign of good luck. (India)
- A cat in a theater means good luck.
- Three black cats together are a sign of very good luck. (India)
- Tortoiseshell male cats are good luck. (Japan)
- Cats should be the first one to enter a new house to assure good luck. (Russia)
- Russian Blue cats are good luck. (Russia)
- Visiting a home with a cat? Kiss the cat for good luck. (England)
Illness and danger
- When a cat licks a woman’s foot, her father-in-law may be in danger.
- If a cat licks a woman’s forehead, her husband may be in danger.
- Eating a cat hair by accident may cause insanity. (Iran)
- If you dream of a black cat near Christmas, illness is on the way.
- Warts can be cause by accidentally splashing water on a cat. (Iran)
- Sick children can be healed by black cats. (Japan)
- Black cats can keep disease from your home. (Wales)
- Rub the tail of a black cat on a sty on your eyelid to cure it. (England)
- Every cat has a single hair somewhere on his tail that has the power to revive a dying person. (Japan)
Bad luck
- A cat jumping on a sleeping person is bad luck.
- Carrying a cat across a stream is bad luck. (France)
- A stray tortie is the sign of approaching bad luck.
- Seeing a cat when entering a city is a sign of bad luck.
- A cat calling out when a person is leaving the house is a sign of impending bad luck.
Black cat superstitions
Of all the cat colors and breeds, there are more superstitions of black cats than any other–so many that we’ve divided this list into both good luck black cat superstitions and bad luck black cat superstitions!
Black cats and good luck
- A black cat walking away from you signifies good luck. (Pirate lore)
- If you hear a black cat sneeze, you will have good luck. (Italy)
- A black cat crossing your path means good luck—and if you also say “konnichiwa” (hello), it will bring extra good luck. (Japan)
- A black cat can ward off demons.
- A black cat released at the intersection of five roads will lead a person to treasure. (France)
- Wealth will come to the person who feeds their black cat the first bite of dinner. (France)
- A black cat facing north can chase away bad spirits. (Japan)
- A black cat crossing your path from left to right is good luck; it is bad luck only if the black cat crosses your path from right to left. (Germany)
- A single white hair on a black cat means good luck.
Black cats and bad luck
- It is bad luck to chase away a black cat. (England)
- A black cat is an omen of poverty. (China)
- Killing a black cat means your soul will go to the devil.
- It is bad luck to see a cat from behind.
- A black cat crossing your path means bad luck. (This superstition may have roots in the worship of the black cat god Bastet by ancient Egyptians; early Christians then believed cats were demons.)
- If a black cat walks across your path, walk in a circle the walk backwards to the spot where you saw the black cat and count to 13.
Superstitions and sailors
- A fisherman will return from sea if the wife keeps a black cat in the house. (England)
- Saying the word “cat” on a ship (or on stage) can bring bad luck.
- Tricolor cats are good luck on a ship. (Japan)
- If a ship’s cat approaches a sailor, it is a sign of good luck—but if they approach then walk away, it is a sign of bad luck.
- If a black cat walks onto a ship then walks off again, the ship will sink.
- If a cat is mewing before setting sail, the journey will be rough.
- If a cat is playful before setting sail, the journey will be blessed with good winds.
Romance and cats
- A woman seeking to get married should feed a cat from her shoe. (Dutch)
- If a woman steps on a cat’s tail, she won’t be getting married that year. (England)
- A black cat will bring a single woman suitors. (Japan)
- If a girl wants to know if she should marry a suitor, she should wrap three hairs from the tail of a cat in a piece of newspaper and place them under the doorstep. The next morning, if the cat hair for a Y pattern, the answer is yes!
- Women with a black cat will have more suitors. (England)
- If you give a bride a black cat on her wedding day, the wedding will be a happy one. (England)
- The wedding gift of two Korat cats means prosperity for the new couple since the silver fur symbolizes silver. (Thailand)
- The first person a cat looks at after washing her face will be the next one wed.
- A bride who hears a cat sneeze on her wedding day is assured a happy marriage.
- Plucking a white hair from a black cat without getting scratched means you will be lucky in love.
Ginger Cat Superstitions
- A ginger cat crossing your path means you will be well-liked by others.
- A ginger cat will reduce arguments in a home.
- An orange cat symbolizes leadership.
White Cat Superstitions
- Seeing a white cat first thing in the morning is bad luck.
- A child liked by a white cat will grow up and achieve great things.
- A white cat leaving a home will exit with the good luck. (England)
- A white cat brings prosperity to a home. (Russia)
- A visit by a white cat means money is coming. (Russia)
- A white cat will hold a grudge. (England)
- Feeding a white cat will bring you good luck all day. (England)
- A dream about a white cat is an omen of good luck.
- It’s unlucky if you see a white cat at night.
- It’s a sign of good luck to see a white cat on a road.
- More White Cat Superstitions!
What Does It Means When a Cat Comes to Your House?
- It’s a sign of prosperity if you see a strange black cat on your porch. (Scotland)
- If you find a black cat on your doorway, it’s a sign of good luck. (Scotland)
- A cat coming to your house is a sign of good luck.
- An orange cat coming to your house is a sign of good fortune.
- A stray cat entering your house is a sign of good luck.
- If a cat grooms on your doorstop, clergy will come visit.
- A cat following you away from your house is a sign of bad luck.
Pregnancy and Babies
- A pregnant woman who lets a cat sleep in her lap will give birth to a child with the face of a cat. (England)
- A cat is a sign of fertility. (Scandinavia)
- If you put a cat in an empty cradle in the home of newlyweds, a baby will soon be on the way.
- Cats can suck the breath from a sleeping baby.
- A tortoiseshell cat can see into the future and can give that ability to a child in the home.
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Founder at CatTipper
Paris Permenter is an award-winning author of 35+ pet and travel books. Along with her husband John Bigley, Paris is the founder and publisher of CatTipper & DogTipper. Paris and John share their home with three cats and two dogs.
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