When I was little, every kid in my neighborhood, including me, knew about the “bad luck” a black cat could bring you if it crossed the road in front of you.
I feel like the number of superstitions around black cats crossing your path when you’re driving or walking just keeps on growing. There are some very interesting interpretations of this event taking place, that’s for sure!
Let’s keep this article lighthearted, as we all know that black cats are just as beautiful as any other cat and don’t deserve any discrimination due to the color of their coat.
Fun Superstitions About A Black Cat Crossing Your Path While Driving
Let’s explore some of the meanings given to black cats crossing your path and how different cultures interpret the same event differently.
#1 What Happens In Vegas…
The gambling industry holds that if a black cat crosses your path on the way to a casino, you shouldn’t enter.
Unless you want to lose all your money, you should probably turn around and leave while you still have some money in the bank!
#2 If You’ve Just Started Your Journey…
If a black cat crosses your path and you’ve just started out on a journey, then it means you need to restart your journey or even postpone it until another time, just to be safe.
I don’t know about you, but if I’m heading somewhere, I am getting there, no matter what kind of animal crosses the road in front of me!
#3 Bad Luck Is Coming Your Way If You Don’t…
If you’ve started your journey and you don’t want to return home and restart the trip, there is something you can do to make the bad luck go away.
Apparently, turning around three times will make the bad luck disappear if you’ve seen a black cat on the road. That is surely a more convenient solution than restarting the trip or postponing it, but it might look a little odd!
Suggested read: Black Cat Spiritual Meaning – 14 Things You Didn’t Know!
#4 This One Does Not End Well For You…
According to European mythology, a black cat crossing one’s path is associated with death! Yes, you read it right, death! Not just any death; it was once believed that you would die due to an epidemic… That’s a pretty scary prediction given modern events!
#5 If You’re Without A Dime In Your Pocket…
One interesting and funny meaning behind a black cat crossing your path while driving is this one… If you’re going to borrow money from someone, they won’t give it to you if you spot a black cat on the way there.
If this happens to you, you should just turn the car around and drive back home… at least you’ll save the gas money, I guess!
See also: The Most Popular Cat Legends And Myths
#6 In Japan…
A lot of people in Japan believe that a black cat crossing your path while driving will definitely bring you bad luck.
Cats are definitely not a lucky charm in Japan, that’s for sure.
#7 But You Can Reverse Your Bad Luck
People in almost all parts of the world believe that a black cat crossing your path while driving indicates bad luck. However, you can reverse the bad luck with a simple gesture.
You simply need to use your right hand to draw a “X” on the left side of the windscreen to cancel out your bad luck. That’s pretty easy, right? Just don’t do it while driving.
#8 People In Ireland, Scotland, And Germany Think That…
If you’re from Ireland, Scotland or Germany you are probably already aware of this one. When a black cat crosses your path from left to right, it is actually a sign of good luck coming your way! So, depending on where you are from, the direction the cat is walking can make all the difference.
Check this out: 355+ Best Spiritual Black Cat Names
#9 If It’s Right To Left…
If you’re driving (or walking) and a black cat crosses your path from the right side to the left side, then that’s not good news for you, unfortunately this still means bad luck.
On the other hand, the cat will grant good fortune when running from left to right. So you have a 50/50 chance of having good luck!
The Real Meaning Is…
The cat is going somewhere. And that’s it!
You know, there are kittens to feed and mice to be caught, so going from one side of a path to the other has absolutely no meaning for us humans!
Superstitions About Black Cats
Black felines are frequently used as symbols of satanism and witchcraft, or associated with Halloween. They have historically been associated with bad omens in most Western civilizations.
The belief that black cats are bad luck has been around for a long time and it has led to discrimination against these cats, with fewer black cats being adopted from shelters and cruelty towards these cats being more common. We need to move past superstitious ideas about the black cat’s bad reputation and stop believing old folklore stories when they cause harm.
In Conclusion
People have definitely been quite creative throughout history when trying to assign meanings to a black cat crossing your path while walking, running, or driving. I find them pretty funny and it’s very interesting reading them.
However, discriminating against black cats simply based on superstition and old folklore stories is wrong, to say the least, especially when it leads people to harm these beautiful creatures.
Yes, these stories about what might happen to you if a black cat crosses your path are interesting, but they are just stories… don’t accept them as facts!
Cat owners and cat lovers, I hope you liked this article and have learned something new, or at least had a good laugh! Enjoy your feline friend, whatever the color, and if you are going to adopt a kitten, consider the misrepresented black cat!
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