The Creepiest Critters on Halloween

There are so many creepy critters out there!

Halloween is right around the corner, and, like most holidays, there are many superstitions surrounding Halloween. Many of these superstitions have even led to traditions that we still take part in today, including dressing up in costumes. There are also many Halloween superstitions surrounding the holiday’s most iconic and creepiest creatures, including black cats, spiders, wolves and bats. In this blog series, the experts at East Meadow Veterinary clinic are going to go over the superstitions around these animals, and separate the myth from the fact.

Black Cats

While many of the superstitions surrounding black cats took hold during the Middle Ages, some historians believe that the origins of humanity’s distrust in felines dates back to the very first humans. Early humans weren’t exactly on the top of the food chain, and it is believed that, due to their carnivorous appetite, developing a fear of cats was necessary for human survival.

During the Middle Ages, or Dark Ages, people began associating black cats with witchcraft. People believed that witches could turn themselves into black cats, or that the devil himself would send black cats to assist witches in committing evil deeds. Many cats were subsequently killed during the witch trials in Europe, and some historians even believe that the death of all of those cats helped the mouse population to grow out of control and spread the Bubonic Plague.

Today, we know that witches cannot turn themselves into cats, or that the devil doesn’t send them to do his bidding. But, many people still to this day see black cats as bad luck, and they are still targeted for sacrifice and other maleficent deeds. If you have a black cat, make sure you keep them safe in your home on Halloween and the days leading up to it.

Bats

There are superstitions about bats all over the world, and for centuries, they’ve been associated with evil and seen as bad omens. It’s no wonder, as bats have an unfamiliar appearance, with beady eyes and peculiar shaped faces that make them look scary. Bat are nocturnal, and because vampire bats feed on blood (of cows and chickens — not humans), they have been associated with vampires. Some people even believe that vampires can turn into bats. In reality, bats are an essential part of the earth’s ecosystem, feeding off of insects, like mosquitos and moths.

Spiders

With their eight hairy legs and numerous eyes, spiders look pretty darn creepy, which is probably why so many people are afraid of them. According to folklore, spiders use their webs to help witches cast spells. But, there are other superstitions that claim that a spider found in your home is good luck, and that you should never kill one in your home. The fact is that there are only a small percentage of poisonous spiders among the 35,000 species, and spiders are essential for keeping insects at bay, including mosquitoes.

There are so many superstitions about creepy critters around Halloween, and in our next blog, our veterinarian in South Bellmore will be going over a few more. Stay tuned to learn more, and don’t hesitate to schedule your appointment if your pet needs veterinary care.

There are many superstitions associated with animals.

Halloween is a time for superstition and tradition. After all, even those costumes we don on October 31st come from a custom dating back to Celtic countries in the 18th and 19th centuries. No Halloween is complete without black cats, bats and other creepy critters, and there are many superstitions that are associated with those animals. In this blog series, we’re going over some of Halloween’s creepiest critters, and if you haven’t already, check out our Levittown veterinarian’s last blog to learn all about black cats, bats and spiders. Keep reading to learn crows and ravens, wolves and snakes.

Crows and Ravens

Crows and ravens are both seen as bad omens, most likely due to their jet black feathers. The fact that these birds are scavengers has also led to people associating them with death. Many people believe that these birds are a precursor of doom, or that witches could use crows or ravens to carry magic or mysterious messages for them. But the fact of the matter is that both ravens and crows are incredibly intelligent. Crows even use tools; prying open food with twigs and lying hard-to-crack nuts in the road for cars to run over. Crows even have a knack for remembering faces, and they can hold a grudge, so be careful not to make one angry.

Wolves

Both positive and negative superstitions about wolves have been around for centuries, and between the years of 1850 and 1900, over a million wolves were killed in large part because of those superstitions. Superstitions about wolves range from them bringing good luck and fortune to them being the devil in disguise, but the most famous superstition is probably the werewolf. It was believed that human beings could turn themselves into wolves while retaining their human intelligence. These werewolves are supposed to have incredible strength, a strong sense of smell and nocturnal vision, and they are also immortal — their only weakness being pure silver. Today, we know that wolves are essential for controlling populations of raccoons, coyotes and deer.

Snakes

Snakes have forked tongues, lidless eyes and legless bodies that slither creepily along the ground, so it’s no wonder so many people are afraid of them. Superstitions about snakes have been around for thousands of years; in the bible, it was even a snake that encouraged Eve to bite the forbidden apple. There are even myths that the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, eliminated all snakes on the island in order to diminish evil — though no snakes ever existed in Ireland to begin with. Many cultures also see snakes as bad omens. But in reality, snakes are essential for our ecosystem, helping to control insect and rodent populations, and very few of them are dangerous to humans.

There are many superstitions about the creepy critters that have become a part of modern-day Halloween traditions, and we hope that this blog series has helped to set the records straight. And, whether you have a black cat or a happy-go-lucky golden retriever, it’s important to get the veterinary care that they need, and there’s no better place to turn than East Meadow Veterinary Center. Schedule your appointment today!