Bewitching Black Cats
October 27th is National Black Cat Day, a day dedicated to celebrating black cats in the hopes that more of you will bring one home from a shelter, as almost twice as many are left there compared to other tabbies. This is because many consider them to be unlucky, or even, as Pope Gregory IX declared back in 1233, demonic. When my mother’s Assisted Care Home went to a shelter to get a cat, I was thrilled when she came home with and rescued a black cat. My mom’s main caregiver…not so much. Poor Whiskey frightened her at first, but I’m happy to report he has won her over, as he truly is the sweetest cat! Maybe one will win you over too?!
Why are black cats associated with Halloween? One reason may be that Celtic legend has it that if you left milk out on Halloween for the Faerie King of Cats - a magical black cat with a white spot on his chest - he would bless your house. I don’t know about that, but I was always blessed with lots of candy when I’d go out dressed as a black cat for Halloween, which I’d do almost every year!
Black cats have a much better reputation outside of North America. For instance, in Scotland, if one wanders onto your porch, it means wealth is coming your way. The Cobble Hill neighborhood where these Seaside Cottages are must be very prosperous then, as there is a black cat in front of each one!
The different colored houses and the lines that form the colored borders in between each ensured not one of the 1000 pieces ever led me astray.
In Japan, black cats are favored by singles, as they reportedly attract a suitor. In fact, Himeji, Japan is home to a black cat café! The cats featured in this other Cobble Hill that made me purr this month, Doodlecats, certainly are hawking coffee and treats in the upper left panels, so they may be the perfect café accoutrement…
…but apparently black cats like to hog the furniture, as that’s were most were pictured on this puzzle, so finding a place to sit as you sip your coffee may be challenging!
And if you don’t want to go to a cat café, you can simply enjoy your coffee at home, as is shown in this 1000-piece Yoga, Cats and Coffee by Trefl. The feel of the pieces on this one were as velvety as stroking soft fur – such great quality!
In France, superstition states that if you cater to your cat and give them the first bite of dinner and a comfortable bed, the pampered puss will reward you with good fortune. The Bodega Cat featured in this 1000-piece New York Puzzle Company puzzle is certainly taunting that this could be true…just give him a bite of one of those candies and that lottery ticket being scratched off could be a winner! This puzzle was definitely a winner for me, as once I got my claws into the vibrant candy colors, the build flew by, with the black cat being filled in last.
The most stunning depiction of a black cat I completed for this blog is the artwork found on Cat on the Shelf. My copy was a 300 piece from Colorcraft, but you can pick it up as a 1000-piece from SunsOut. The names on the books made me giggle and while all that black fur gave me “paws,” the colors all around him made it easier to do. I say him, as most black cats are male and most also have yellow eyes, as the high melanin content that affects their fur, also typically accounts for golden eyes.
Another interesting fact about black cats is that their fur can change color if they spend a lot of time in the sun, becoming rust-like in appearance. Many things certainly changed in this 500-piece Colorful Cats puzzle from PuzzleTwist! In fact, there are 25 differences to spot from the box image, but only very slight things change, such as a bow appearing on a cat, as shown in this picture. Don’t worry – I won’t share the completed image, as that would bring bad luck down on me!
Lastly, it would be easy to lose the black cat in this girl’s messy apartment, although it was the first thing I assembled in the image because the black really stood out in that riot of color!
Honey I’m Home
I was a happy surprise to discover the name of the girl in this 1000-piece Honey I’m Home by Hardie Grant was also Lisa, as could be seen on her cell phone messages.
I came within a whisker of choosing so many other puzzles for this month’s blog! If you want to adopt a different one, there are many to choose from including these 500 piece puzzles with a distinct Halloween feel - Black Cat By Candlelight and Dance Tonight, both by SunsOut; and Something Familiar by New York Puzzle Company. And some you could do year-round, such as these 1000-piece Heye puzzles, Dreaming Black Kitty and Gold Rain, and this 500-piece puzzle, Cat In The Window by Karmin International.
So remember – keep an open mind about adopting a black cat (and a black cat puzzle). After all, in the words of Groucho Marx, “A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.” So, ignore the superstition - there’s nothing to worry about!
– Lisa @lisalovespuzzles
Loved the variety of puzzles you completed! Fun blog topic for October .
Love your charming black cats article.
Love your theme choice and some history.