The all-black cat plays a special role in folklore, and in earlier centuries, when all cats were being persecuted, it was always singled out for the most savage treatment. This was because they were associated with the devil, who was believed to take on the form of a black cat. So they organized annual burning-cats-alive ceremonies on the day of the feast of St John, and all-black cats were sought out for the fire.

In the minds of the pious worshippers the cats had to be totally black to be really evil, with no patches of white. As a consequence of this all-black cats became less common, while those with some white survived. This is the reason why today we see many cats with small patches of white hair somewhere on their bodies. This patch, thought to be a sign of innocence, was called 'Angel's mark' or God's finger'.

The fear and superstitions associated with black cats has survived to the present day. In the UK it is said that if a black cat crosses your path it will bring you good luck. This is based on the idea that evil has come close to you, but has not harmed you, hence you have enjoyed good luck. In the US the black cat signifies bad luck on the principle that it is an evil spirit and therefore to just to be in its presence is dangerous.

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