Many people know a few superstitions about cats. Like many of you, I’m a bit of a ‘trivia’ geek and over the years most of the cat trivia that I have read that has centred around our feline friends has been fairly predictable and much of it is based on whether black cats are lucky or unlucky

While researching cat superstitions recently, I came across a few nuggets that I thought I would share with you.

Japan

In old Japanese folklore it was said that if a cat had a black mark on it’s back then this was an indication that the soul of an ancestor was present and the black mark was deemed as sacred.

You may have seen the common image of the Japanese Bobtail cat with it’s front paw raised. This was seen as a sign of good fortune in Japanese folklore.

Cat lovers will be pleased to hear that our feline friends in Japan are also believed to be a cure for epilepsy and bouts of melancholy as well!

Italy

In Italian folklore it was believed to be good luck when anyone heard a cat sneeze.

France

During the Middle Ages, ceramic cats were placed on the roofs off French homes to ward of evil spirits.Interestingly, there are still many homes in France that still have ceramic cats on their rooftops.

It has also been considered extremely lucky in France to find a black cat with a single white hair.

Poland

In Poland there is a legend that tells us of a group of kittens chasing butterflies next to a pond.The lively kittens fall into the pond and the kitten’s mother is left crying at the side of the pond looking helplessly on.

The willow trees next to the pond proceeded to dip their branches so that the tiny kittens could grasp the branches and escape their certain demise.

Now, according to this charming Polish legend, every springtime that the furry buds on a willow branch appear it represents the kittens being saved and clinging to the willow branches and are now commonly known as ‘pussy willows’

Russia

The Russians have an old tale in folklore that states that when a new cat is brought home if it is then thrown on a bed and proceeds to settle down then the cat is deemed to have found and made the house it’s home and will be happy to stay around.

The Russian Blue cat breed are also considered to be a symbol of luck in Russia.