If you’re an animal lover like me, it’s hard to put the words “evil” and “animals” together in one sentence. Whether you’re thinking of your fluffy feline or beloved pooch, it’s hard to think bad of those beings that bring so much joy to our lives. However, in some cultures, certain animals are regarded as evil and spell a bad omen. Of course, this is mostly based on mythology, so I wouldn’t get too concerned if you just happen to come across a black cat or raven.
Here are ten animals that represent evil, according to some cultures, religions, and traditions.
1: Black Cats
If you’re the superstitious type, you probably fear crossing paths with a black cat because you think it’ll bring on bad luck. Cats have long been associated with Satan, and also witches. Then there’s also the theory that black cats spread the plague all those years ago, but nobody knows for sure how accurate that theory is. Don’t worry, though. I’m sure your fluffy black feline is a delight!
2: Snakes
Most people are terrified of snakes, so naturally they made the list. But that’s not the only reason. In the Bible, the serpent was a symbol of evil power as well as a symbol of healing and rebirth. The truth remains, however, that snakes are generally harmless unless you give them a reason to fear you – and ultimately bite you. It’s better just to chill if you ever cross paths with a snake.
3: Owls
It’s not just their creepy eyes that put owls on the list. While owls aren’t associated with death, they’ve long been considered evil omens. Many cultures believe owls to be dirty and unfriendly, which is why they put them in the evil category. Sorry, owls. Other cultures believe owls steal children, and that a circling owl signals bad luck. So if you’re even the teeniest bit superstitious, we’d recommend steering clear of owls. That said, an owl’s never done anything bad to me.
4: Ravens
In literature, the raven has been depicted as a terrifying animal that signifies death or misfortune. While this dark, mysterious bird might look a little creepy, some cultures associate it with fortune. The moral of this story is: you might want to ignore what you hear about these birds in literature and in movies. While some cultures might believe they represent evil, that doesn’t mean seeing one signifies a sorrowful fate.
5: Bats
Bats have a reputation for being evil. That’s probably because of those vampire movies and haunted houses we’ve seen throughout our lives! Myths tell us that bats are dangerous. That they’ll attack us, drink our blood, and leave us vulnerable to disease. Turns out, bats won’t suck your blood or deliberately attack you, but they do carry diseases that can infect you. That said, even your pet cat or dog can carry diseases. And those are the animals you live with!
If you’re looking for a way to conquer your bat fear, I’d recommend taking a nice looong break from all those vampire flicks. And at the end of the day, it’s not like we regularly come into contact with bats, so I think you’ll be just fine!
6: Bulls
Bulls have long been associated with fertility, but they’ve also popped up in Greek folklore, regarding them as a symbol of death. Let’s not forget all those scary devil bull characters we’ve seen in the movies over the years. Those have definitely not helped their rep! Bulls are also associated with death because of bullfighting. In some cultures, the person who fights the bull believes that they die in order to be reborn after slaughtering the animal.
7: Spiders
In mythology, spiders have been associated with evil and death. Then there have been all those bone-chilling movies of mammoth sized spiders attacking humans. Unfortunately, spiders haven’t really had much of a chance to convince us that they’re actually pretty nice guys. Of course, there are some spiders that can be lethal if they bite you. But the majority of spiders are perfectly safe and shouldn’t cause you any harm. While most people have a fear of spiders, there’s actually little to be worried about. Plus, it’s bad luck to kill a spider, so if you wanna stay lucky, let it live in peace on its web.
8: Crows
Just like ravens, crows are often seen as signs of bad luck, danger, or even death. Crows appear a lot in literature, art, and the movies, and they’re typically depicted as symbols of doom and gloom.
Ever seen the classic film “The birds”? Well maybe its best you don’t watch it. The film is a horror about killer crows that attack humans.
A dying or dead crow can also mean a bad omen of impending death or sign that something bad is about to happen.
In spite of their negative portrayal in literature, art, and films, crows have also been associated with more positive symbols such as intelligence, magic, and personal transformation. It just doesn’t help that we’ve watched so many scary movies featuring crows.
9: Rats
I’m gonna be honest, I strongly dislike rats. But who doesn’t, right? Rats carry and spread disease. Plus, that squeaking noise they make? Eeeeek. And let’s not forget the creepy long tail. Rats have long been associated with evil, most notably due to them spreading the plague. Then again, there are plenty of people who have pet rats, so there’s gotta be something to like.
10: Vultures
Most birds try to blend in with their environment because they don’t want to attract too much attention. Vultures are a little different. These hulking creatures want to be seen as they hang around areas where they can find food – usually corpses of other animals. Creepily, animal corpses are a key part of a vulture’s diet. They rely on an animal getting killed in order to get their day’s breakfast or dinner. With their fantastic sight and sense of smell, vultures really are pros at hunting down corpses.
Vultures have long been associated with death, most likely because they rely on death to feed themselves and stay alive. You’ll also see them circling disaster sites looking for their next meal – aka, a recently deceased person or animal.
