The Black Death

## Cats superstitions and hunting

It was on June 13, 1233, when Pope Gregory IX issued a significant papal decree known as Vox in Rama.

In this official proclamation, the Pope declared that Satan himself was half-cat, often assuming the form of a cat during Satanic masses.

This declaration reinforced the perception of cats as \*agents of darkness\* and added weight to the growing superstitions surrounding them.

Driven by fear and misguided beliefs, Catholics across the continent began to indiscriminately slaughter any cat that crossed their path or set foot on their property.

The indiscriminate killing of cats had a profound impact on their population, particularly black cats, which were deemed especially devil-like.

It is believed that the small black cat population that exists in Europe today can be traced back to this period of mass slaughter,

Ironically, what followed was a tragic consequence of this misguided campaign against cats

## **Spreading the disease**

The Black Death originated in Asia in 1334, and then slowly spread to the west.

In 1346 it reached Egypt, Syria and then Crimea, and in 1347 it reached Constantinople, Sicily and then southern Europe. In 1348 it reached France, the Netherlands, Germany and England, and in 1349 it reached Scandinavia and Russia.

Horrific disease reached its peak in Europe between 1347 and 1351.

Most scientists believe that the Black Death was a plague pandemic, while some believe it was a virus similar to Ebola. Analysis of the ancient DNA of victims of the disease in Europe confirmed that the bacterial pathogen Yersinia pestis was responsible.

Plague (Yersinia pestis) is a disease caused by an anaerobic, gram-negative bacterium. The natural host for this organism is a rat and the disease is usually transmitted to humans through a flea bite from a flea that has fed on an infected rat and then on a human.

With the cats, the natural predators of rats, severely diminished in number, especially because of the superstition towards cats by Catholics the rat population thrived, allowing the disease-carrying rodents to proliferate unchecked.

## **The Plague rage**

Because of its high mortality, the Black Death caused a general panic. People did not know where the disease came from or how to stop it. Looking for a cause, many believed that the Black Death was God's punishment.

However, since the church could not explain and stop the disease, many became indifferent to it and lived by the philosophy that one should live as well as possible until the disease strikes, thus ignoring the advice of doctors about being picky about food and drink and avoiding unnecessary contact with to people. Some claimed that the cause of the disease was supernatural and that it was carried by the wind, so it was necessary to stay indoors and close the windows. Some blamed the Jews, which led to their persecution.

The Black Death was the first major European plague epidemic.

The plague created a series of religious, social and economic upheavals that had profound consequences for the course of European history. Overall, the plague may have reduced the world's population from an estimated 450 million to 350–375 million in the 14th century.

It took 200 years for the world's population to recover to its previous level. Plague reappeared as an epidemic in Europe until the 19th century.