Similarly, in Wales, it symbolizes good health. In Scotland, a black cat at your doorstep symbolizes prosperity to come. If it walks left to right, it will bring good luck if it walks right to left, it will bring bad luck.
But in Germany, it depends on the direction in which the cat is walking. If a black cat walks across a path in front of you, similarly you are likely to have a bad day. If you see a black cat and walk under a ladder, it is said you will have a bad day. In a great deal of European folklore, the black cat is considered an omen of bad luck. Good or Bad Luck (associated with the Black Cat) So, they’re a great subtle symbol to use in writing and film to show how an astute, critical-thinking protagonist (a detective, perhaps) has identified something isn’t quite right … and trouble is on its way. Similarly, in Harry Potter, a cat on a fence post wearing glasses is the first sign of magic on Privet Drive.Ĭats are regular and unassuming aspects of our landscape. In the film The Matrix, seeing a cat walk past twice in a row is a moment of ‘Deja Vous’ that represents a premonition of something bad to come. In literature and film, cats can be used as symbols of something important is about to occur. Conclusion Cat Symbolism in History and Literature 1.
