My Black Cat Is Not Bad Luck

Posted on by Joyful2bee
Black cat.
Beautiful Norie

October was Black Cat Awareness Month, I wanted to dispel any superstitions about black cats. I wanted to share about my Norie. Take a look at these pictures, and the story here and see what you think.

Several years ago, after my second son and his wife moved from a house to a smaller apartment. D told me of the problems they faced caring for four pets: a nervous German Shepard, a chihuahua diva, a senile, female, incontinent cat, and Nori, an almost one year old black kitten. They named her Nori after the black algae wrap used to make sushi.

I offered to take Nori. I had been considering a feline companion since my husband’s death; and asked, if that would help them. I was excited when D said, “Yes!” (I knew from previous visits to their home that Nori was a perfect fit for me.)

A sick, black kitten

A little over 14 years ago, C. and D. adopted Nori from a rescue site. See picture below of this blue eyed baby, with feline herpes. Feline Herpes is a common respiratory virus of feral cats, which can cause matting of the eyes and sneezing. Untreated it can lead to blindness and respiratory infections. With a daily, dietary immunity booster and their good care she was in good health.

Black kitten snuggled to silver cat.
Baby Nori with surrogate mother, Pepper.

When I first saw Nori, I was impressed with her friendliness, curiosity and playfulness. Since I had never owned a cat before, I had no idea what I was in for until she came to my home. Also, I added an “e” to slightly change her name to Norie. (After all, she was now an Estes.)

Black cat with golden eyes.
Big gold eyed, big eared black Norie.

First thing I learned about cats, was that female cats are almost always in heat, unless they are fixed or pregnant; and may be out of heat for only brief periods of time. They seem so needy and behave quite peculiarly when in heat. It is a biological drive which they have no control over.

So as soon as was possible, she was spayed. She adopted amazingly well to the cone around her neck that prevented her from licking the dissolvable postoperative sutures on her belly.

It isn’t easy jumping up on a counter when you have to adjust for a round thing, bigger than your head, around your neck! Eating and drinking with a cone on her neck was a new experience also, but she adjusted beautifully. When she tried to jump on the counter, she tried two or three times to jump up on the countertop but fell back down; but on the last effort she raised her head up and jumped onto the counter top, quite pleased with herself.

Then when she tried to eat the dry food in the bowl, she couldn’t reach the dry food with her tongue. She got wise and scooped up some dry food with the cone around her neck and raised her head back so the food would land in or near her mouth.

Then when she tried to drink water from the bowl, the cone prevented her from lapping up water. What did she do? She used the outer edge of the bowl to keep the cone out of the water and leaned in and used her tongue to lap up the water! She was and is one smart cat!

Curiosity killed the cat?

Black cat watching from above.
Norie watched me from on top of the cabinets.

Norie had and has an amazing curiosity. In my old home she would jump up on the counter top, then to the top of the refrigerator and then up on the top of the cabinets around my kitchen.

I noticed her care, as she wove between the side-lying baskets, and through their handles, to sit on the cabinets’ top surfaces. She would then perch above me and watch as I loaded the dishwasher or cooked. She seemed to find me as fascinating, as I found her to be. 

Straws and plastic things

Her eyes lit up and she silently meowed or gave a little squeak when she saw a straw. I was told that she pulled straws out of cups that were left on the counter at night. I found that that behavior continued. She was later found stashing straws under the refrigerator along with bottle caps, a shiny stone, bread bag ties and anything long and plastic.

Norie with her mixed prizes.
Wonder how many more I can get under the refrigerator.

I saw her reaching under the fridge once and assumed she was trying to reach something; so I “helped” her and pulled something out. She pushed it right back under the refrigerator. (She knew what she was doing!)

I bought ping pong balls for her to chase but later couldn’t find them because she stashed them in various places. She loved chasing one around the tub though.

Bubbles

She still loves for me to blow bubbles and watches with wonder as they float down but then pounces on one just right for popping.

Black cat smiling at bubbles.
Should I try to eat it or pop it?

Soaking up sunshine

Sunshine is a sleeping pill for her. Lying in a sunbeam can put her to sleep quickly. 

Norie in sunlight
Norie in sunlight.

Norie the huntress

Black cat with gold eyes watching from the window.
I will catch one of those birds some day!

Windows with a view to the outdoors where birds, squirrels and lizards live, add a lot of fun to her life. She is always the huntress. I have seen her catch and eat silverfish, a cricket, a spider and other bugs.

She has several times been delighted to bring in a live lizard from the garage and more recently from the screened in porch. The poor lizard usually had lost its tail while trying to escape. Norie doesn’t eat them, she just wants to hunt and play with them.

At our old home the garage, was full of boxes, which served as her jungle! She would climb on things and even sleep out there sometimes during the day. Now she enjoys our screened in porch and a closer, safer, and more personal view of the lizards, birds and bugs.

Norie communicates without a word.

Norie decides how much petting she gets. She sometimes comes to me and purrs or just sits there staring at me. So I pick her up to pet her and she purrs quite loudly. But then after a few minutes of rubbing her nose and stroking her black hair, she starts twitching her tail quickly.

I then put her down, because I know she is overstimulated. I pay attention to her “stop it!” signs. If I try to pet her when she is on the table or couch beside me after the signal, she puts her paw on my hand and pushes it down. If I don’t respect her request she lunges at my hand and nips my hand to tell me “stop it!” After all she did warn me.

If she wants a treat, she goes to the cabinet door below the one with the treats and partially opens the cabinet door, which springs shut quickly with a bang because of the spring mechanism. She has been known to do this repeatedly until I give her a treat!

She also has the most peculiar way of communicating. Sometimes she looks at me and moves her mouth like she is meowing but no sound comes out. I am still trying to figure out what she is saying. When I can’t figure out by deduction what she wants (food, outside on the porch, treat, or petting), I ask her to show me what she wants and follow her to the cabinet door, the porch door or the door to the hallway of our condominium building. She leads me to her desired destination with a very determined gait and a periodic glance back at me to be sure she hasn’t lost me.

She is having a long and interesting life and certainly making my life richer and more fun! Stay tuned for a drug reaction, and feline asthma onset; and more pictures! So what do you think? Are black cats bad luck? 

78 thoughts on “My Black Cat Is Not Bad Luck”

  1. That silent meow is a call to arms…it means that the human MUST get up NOW and follow to “fix” whatever the problem is. Fascinating animals, cats. I have had at least 6 dozen over my lifetime.and have two now.

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    1. I never had cats before but have been around them. One funny book I read said the silent meow meant that their need was so great they couldn’t put it into words. Makes sense actually. Love my two girls!! Thanks for the comments!

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          1. And she keeps dropping hints from time to time! MAYBE…if our conditions improve… But a dog–even a little one–needs walking (which my disabled wife finds hard to do) and there are lots of fleas and ticks around this area! ALAS…!

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  4. Pingback: My Black Cat Is Not Bad Luck — joyful2beeblogs | Theincensewoman
  5. Pingback: Photos of Norie Growing Up – joyful2beeblogs

    1. Well, one poor lizard was recently not allowed that dignity. I was on the phone and saw Norie and Sister toying with something. To my horror they had killed one. I felt bad about it but things like that happen in the wild too. Still feel bad that I didn’t rescue it.

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    1. Thank you, Catwoods. I know you must love cats too!! She has been my companion, my clown, my challenge, my patient, my “snuggle” buddy (not the same as a cuddle buggy!! I looked it up! LOL!) .She adds so much fun to my life.

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  15. Cats are funny. I have 3 left now and my black n white is a food hound and will sit next to me when eating and will cock his head back n forth and act like hes eating too…its cute and he has been known to steal things from my hand..

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  17. Black cats are special and the ones I had never brought bad luck. I am really enjoying reading about Norie. If one loves being entertained then have a cat or cats will take care of that for them. We had three cats that loved sleeping on top of the refrigerator and one that would open a cabinet door jump inside and sleep on the shelf. Cats are just so amazing and funny.

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          2. Hello, thank you for your Christmas wishes you sent me via diella. I hope you had a wonderful day with your family. We have had a very busy time and now we have our other daughter staying with us. As soon as things have calmed down I will get in touch with you again 💕❤️

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    1. Thank you, justdrivewillyou! I am so glad you and your black cats loved this. I wish NOrie could meet them, but you never know how that might turn out. I would love to see pictures of your black cats. How many do you have?

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      1. Two, Izzy and Lizzy. We adopted them from the shelter when they were kittens, and we’ve had them for 14 years now. You’ll find pictures of them on my post on May 1, 2016, called “The Little Devils.” They’re our babies!

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    1. They are so beautiful. Some say they are hard to photograph, but as you can see, I have had some beautiful shots of Norie. She is so full of curiosity, playfulness, and just beauty in her own right. Thank you for commenting, Sheryl Craig Russell.

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  26. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story about Norie, your black cat companion. It’s heartwarming to read about the bond you two share and how she has brought so much joy and excitement into your life.

    Norie sounds like an incredibly smart, curious, and playful cat. Her unique behaviors, from stashing straws and ping pong balls to communicating her desires in her own peculiar way, showcase her individual personality. It’s evident that she has found a loving and caring home with you, where she can be herself and explore the world around her.

    Your story is a testament to the fact that superstitions about black cats are just myths. Norie’s presence in your life has clearly brought nothing but happiness and fulfillment. Thank you for dispelling these misconceptions and sharing the delightful adventures of Norie. She’s a lucky cat to have found a companion as understanding and attentive as you. Here’s to many more years of happiness and companionship with Norie!

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  27. Pingback: My Black Cat Is Not Bad Luck | Ramblings of an Occupy Liberal

    1. Thank you, Tessa. She is something special and I love her so much! I have other blogs about her and I had another cat who had to be euthanized because a pituitary brain tumor made her diabetes severe. I didn’t want her to have strokes or kidney failure. She was a Grey tabby but the gentlest cat.

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