International Cat Day

August 8 is International Cat day! 

Those of us in the U.S. are familiar with the saying that a black cat crossing your path is bad luck, and that cats have 9 lives. You've probably also heard about cats being worshipped in Egypt, and if you've ever been to an Asian restaurant or store, you're likely to have seen a waving cat statue for luck, so since it's international cat day, what other superstitions and attitudes are there around cats around the world? 

Well, according to National Geographic the waving lucky cat statues you see in Asian businesses actually originated in Japan. Also in Japan, according to this article on Mental Floss a cat washing it's face with it's paws means visitors are coming. And cattipper.com says in Japan a black cat crossing your path means good luck, a black cat can bring a single woman suitors, and even that sick children can be healed by black cats. Sounds like black cats have a much better reputation in Japan than they do here in the U.S.! 

According to cattipper.com, black cats also have the same power to bring suitors to a woman in England, but if she steps on a cat's tail (presumably of any color), she won't get married that year. There are also English superstitions about the weather noted by thegreatcat.org , like if a cat claws at the curtains or if it washes behind it's ears, it will bring rain, and that cats can bring storms at sea! 

 Another country that has superstitions about weather and cats is Indonesia, where it is said that pouring water over a cat will make it rain. According to thegreatcat.org, the wet cat would make it rain in revenge for having water poured on it! 

Thailand has a similar superstition where it is said pouring water on a Korat cat can make it rain. Also in Thailand, according to cattipper.com, the silver fur of a Korat cat symbolizes silver, so the wedding gift of 2 Korat cats will mean prosperity for the new couple. 

Speaking of weddings, Mental Floss notes that in Italy, if a bride hears a cat sneeze on her wedding day the marriage will be a good one! But, if it sneezes 3 times, you are in danger of coming down with a cold! 

Luckily if you do get sick, you can go back to Japan and get a black cat to heal you! It is also said that a single white hair on a black cat can mean good luck! But what about a cat that is all white? (If you have seen some of my other blog posts or follow us on social media, you'll know we have one black cat and one white cat!) According to cattipper, in Russia, a white cat brings prosperity and a visit by a white means money is coming! They also say that in Russia they say cats should be the first to enter a home to bring good luck! Cats in Russia seem to have a good reputation, so maybe its good luck to be a Russian cat! 

If you need even more good luck, cattipper says in India it is a sign of good luck if you head off on a journey and see a cat on your left side, and that 3 black cats together is a sign of very good luck! (Our black cat, Reggie, came from a hoarding house with 13 black cats, so I assume that's extra extra good luck!)

As you can see, there are various superstitions around cats around the world, sometimes they bring good luck and sometimes bad, but  we at catswhereitsat.com think any cat parent would agree that one of a cats powers is to make you feel like you have the best luck to be around them!