Black Cats Aren’t the Spooky Ones… Ever Met an Orange Cat?

Remember when your parents told you not to let a black cat cross your path because it meant bad luck? Or how black cats became the ultimate spooky Halloween mascot? 

These myths have given black cats a bad reputation. And this has helped hide the true troublemakers of the cat world; orange cats. In this article, we’ll explore the history of black cats and the psychology behind the chaotic nature of orange cats.

The History Behind Black Cat Myths

As seen in cartoons and books, black cats are often linked to witches, but these misconceptions didn't start there.

First written record of black cats 

The first written document that mentions black cats as evil entities dates all the way back to the 13th century. This document is called "Vox in Rama" and it was issued by Pope Gregory IX. 

In the document, the church declared that black cats were an incarnation of Satan. 

They did it to stop the growing number of satanic cults in Germany, and this quickly spread across Europe. This was the start of witch hunts and blaming black cats for bad luck.

Black cats in the middle ages: familiars to witches

Witches were people in Europe who practised old, pre-Christian beliefs. As the Christian church grew stronger, it saw witches as a threat and started hunting, torturing, and killing them. 

But what does this have to do with cats? Witches were very connected to nature and animals, and their close bond with creatures like cats started to seem suspicious and "devilish" in the church's eyes. Many women who loved their cats were accused of being witches.

Adding to that, the belief that black cats were linked to Satan gave them an even worse reputation. Since black cats are excellent hunters at night, people thought witches kept them not as pets, but as "familiars". Those are animals that help witches. Quite cat-sist, don't you think?

Disturbing fact: There was a tradition of burning black cats in a sack on St. John’s Day, and they suffered the same fate as those accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch trials.

Interesting fact: People in the Middle Ages believed that after a cat familiar has served a witch for 7 years, the cat could turn into a witch. 

The Psychology Behind Orange Cat Chaos

If you ask older people which cat is the most evil, they'll probably say black. But ask anyone on social media, and they’ll tell you it’s orange. 

With all the TikToks of orange cats going wild and causing chaos, "orange cat behaviour" even made it into the Urban Dictionary to describe crazy human behaviour. But why is that?

Orange cats are NOT more chaotic than other cats

Experts have looked into why orange cats are seen as so chaotic, but there’s no scientific evidence to back it up. It turns out, it’s more about the owner. 

This is called cat owner confirmation bias. This means owners start seeing their orange cats as chaotic because they expect them to be. Orange cat TikToks sure don’t help!

Fun fact: Orange cats are the friendliest cat breed because most of them are males.

Why orange cats are special

1 out of 5 orange cats are female

Orange cats are unique because of their gender and chromosomes. The gene that makes them orange is on the X chromosome. 

Since female cats have two X chromosomes, they need two copies of this gene to be orange. Males only need one. That's why there are more male orange cats than female ones.

Orange cats are the best house cats

Did you know that male cats are often way friendlier than female cats? After being neutered, male cats can get super attached to their owners, following you around and cuddling all day long. 

Female cats, though, tend to be more independent and not as into constant attention. And with more male cats than females, orange cats are usually the ones who will shower you with the most love.

Final Thoughts

These old superstitions about black cats might seem silly today, but they’ve been spread for a long time through stories and movies. Many witches in books and films are shown with black cats, which keeps the idea alive. 

Unfortunately, this has hurt black cats when it comes to adoption. You’ll often find them as the last to be adopted from shelters, and some are even put down because there’s no space. 

This is really sad because black cats, just like orange cats, deserve all the love and care in the world. You shouldn’t let myths or social media ideas make your choices for you. 

Every cat, no matter its color, is a great pet and deserves a loving home.