How Medieval Europe’s Fear of Cats Fueled the Black Death
During the Middle Ages, cats were widely associated with the devil, witchcraft, and dark forces in Europe. This belief was rooted in superstitions, religious doctrines, and cultural fears, which ultimately led to the mass killing of cats. These actions had unforeseen consequences, as the decline in the cat population allowed rodents to multiply uncontrollably, contributing to the rapid spread of the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) in the 14th century.
The fear of cats, particularly black cats, can be traced back to early Christian teachings, which sought to eliminate pagan symbols and beliefs. In pre-Christian Europe, cats were often linked to fertility, luck, and protection, with many pagan religions considering them sacred creatures. However, as Christianity spread, efforts were made to demonize anything associated with pagan practices, and cats became symbols of evil, darkness, and misfortune.
By the 12th and 13th centuries, the Catholic Church intensified its stance against heretics and those believed to be practicing witchcraft. In 1233, Pope Gregory IX issued the papal bull "Vox in Rama," which explicitly linked black cats to Satanic rituals and heresy. This declaration fueled widespread fear and persecution of cats, particularly among religious authorities and common folk. During the infamous witch hunts of the 14th–17th centuries, many women accused of being witches were believed to have feline familiars, spiritual companions that supposedly aided them in dark magic. As a result, both suspected witches and their pet cats were burned, drowned, or otherwise executed.
The mass extermination of cats created an ecological imbalance, allowing rat populations to thrive unchecked. This became particularly disastrous in 1347, when the Black Death—a deadly bubonic plague caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium—swept across Europe, killing nearly 25 million people (about one-third of the population). The disease was transmitted through fleas carried by rats, and with fewer cats to control the rodent population, the plague spread at an alarming rate. Some historians argue that if medieval Europeans had not culled cats in such large numbers, the severity of the Black Death might have been reduced.
Despite their vilification, cats eventually regained favor due to their essential role in pest control. By the Renaissance period, many people realized that cats were crucial for keeping rodent populations in check, leading to their gradual reintegration into households and farms. However, superstitions about black cats persisted, and even today, they are still associated with bad luck and witchcraft in some cultures.
The widespread persecution of cats in the Middle Ages is a striking example of how superstition and misinformation can lead to devastating real-world consequences. It also highlights how human perceptions of animals can shift dramatically over time, from sacred beings in ancient civilizations to symbols of evil in medieval Europe, and finally to beloved pets in the modern world.
0 Comments