Ailuromancy
Divination through superstitions concerning cats. For example,
a black cat crossing your path is a bad omen in the United
States and Germany, although usually regarded as lucky in
Britain. Owning a black cat is also believed to be lucky. A cat
washing its face or ears, or climbing up furniture, is said to indicate
rain; if the cat washes its face in the parlor, it may indicate
visitors. It is a widespread belief that killing or mistreating a cat
will bring ill fortune. This may arise from ancient religious beliefs
concerning the cat as a sacred animal.
