Black cats whose owners were accused of witchcraft were associated with the Devil and evil. People thought black cats assisted witches in their evil deeds, and also that witches could transform into black cats to lurk in the shadows and cast spells on people.

Are black cats the meanest?

A study described by the University of California, Berkeley discovered that: "Overall, orange cats and bi-colored cats were characterized as friendly, while black cats, white cats, and tri-colored cats were regarded as more antisocial.

When did black cats become bad luck?

But where did they get the bad reputation from? It is believed to have started in the 17th century when black cats were associated with witchcraft. The belief of witches transforming themselves into black cats to prowl the streets discreetly became a central belief in America, during the Salem witch hunts.