Exploring the origins of superstition, part two: black cats, salt, and bad things in threes

Black cat with green eyesPhoto byHannah TroupeonUnsplash

My first pet as an adult was a black kitten named Minx. He was a fine cat, but many people considered him creepy, a witch’s cat.

When did this superstition around black cats begin? Magickalspot.com explains, “It was in the Middle Ages that man became an enemy of this cat, as he considered it a diabolical animal, the incarnation of witches, and the symbol of evil.”

This may be understandable so long ago but, “The superstition of the black cat still exists in many countries; in Italy, Spain, and the United States, it is believed that it brings bad luck; while in other countries, like Japan, Scotland, and England, the black cat is a symbol of luck and having it at home means prosperity.” So there’s hope for black cats yet, in some countries. Hopefully the U.S. will catch up soon.

neon number threePhoto byJack HunteronUnsplash

Whenever something bad happens, and then something else, generally unrelated, happens soon after, my mother will caution for me to brace myself because, “bad things happen in threes.” Generally three is a good thing. Third time’s a charm, the Holy Trinity, for example. It’s not definitively clear where this saying began but FolkloreThursday.com offers, “psychologists argue that this belief persists because people crave certainty. By creating a limit on the events, e.g. three, we feel comforted because we see an end to a run of bad luck or deaths…by believing that the bad luck will end soon, we regain some control in our unpredictable lives and can rest easy.” Personally, whenever the third bad thing happens, I always feel comforted in the belief that the streak of tragedy is over.

One superstition I cannot resist, because it’s been too ingrained in me since birth, is throwing salt. The superstition goes that if you spill salt, bad luck will follow unless you toss more salt over your left shoulder. My mother was very strict about my adherence to this. Always wanting to keep the peace, I was diligent in immediately taking a pinch or using the shaker to toss some over my left shoulder. She never explained why it would work, only that it would.

spilled saltPhoto byJason TuinstraonUnsplash

How Stuff Works attributes this superstition potentially to The Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci. In the painting, Judas Iscariot has knocked over the shaker of salt with his elbow. Judas is known for betraying Jesus, and “some Christian beliefs hold that the devil hangs around behind your left shoulder…if you spill salt, the devil sees it as an invitation to step in and do evil. Throwing it over your left shoulder into his face blinds him and renders him helpless.”

I err on the side of caution so always toss salt, just in case. I’m relieved when my third tragedy happens and can breathe easier knowing I’m safe from new bad events. But I’d get another black cat all day long because that’s one superstition I’m not afraid to ignore.