And though all-black cats can be either male or female, there’s a slightly higher prevalence of the coloration in male cats.īlack cats pop up frighteningly frequently in all sorts of culturally based bits of folklore, and though much of their mythos is actually of the positive variety, Western tradition has so maligned the critters that black cats as bad luck have become something of a given in various circles (at least, that’s what it looks like once Halloween decorations start popping up, “scaredy cats” and all).
Most black cats also come with golden yellow eyes, thanks to the high melanin pigment content in their bodies. While black pigmentation isn’t limited to specific breeds (in fact, the Cat Fanciers’ Association lists “solid black” as a color option for 22 breeds), the Bombay breed is likely the kind of cat you picture most often when you imagine a classic black cat. Sure, back during the heyday of Egyptian rule (around 3000 BCE), all cats were notoriously honored and worshipped-killing one was even a capital crime-but the rise of witchcraft in Europe put the kibosh on any trace of goodwill toward the inkiest of felines. Feline friends and fans know there’s nothing to fear, but the persistence of the belief that black cats are somehow bad luck has endured for centuries.
