Sheer Magic with a furry twist: A Paws On Review of The Black Cat Tarot Deck
 | For millennia, cats have held our fascination… aloof; mysterious and elegant creatures, they slip quietly into our lives in story and poem and even worshipped by the Egyptians as gods long ago. Often thought of as companions to witches, black cats have often been the unlucky recipients of superstition, fear and more than their share of bad press. Today, however, the black cat is enjoying a new wave of attention, almost gone are the theories and conjecture about bad luck and silly superstitions. One look into their deep and secretive eyes and our hearts are captured. Being owned by a sleek black cat myself, I was absolutely thrilled to see a Tarot deck full of these enigmatic little companions. Created by Maria Kurara, The Black Cats Tarot is published by Lo Scarabeo and distributed by Llewellyn Worldwide, I love the theme of these magical creatures leaping, playing and delving deep into the great questions and mysteries of life. |
| A 78 card, Rider-Waite style deck, The Black Cats Tarot embodies black cat’s independence, intelligence and ferocity as they seemingly prance across the cards, guiding us between the worlds of fantasy and reality… I love the size of this deck, at approximately 2 7/8 x 4 3/4 it’s the just the right size to shuffle and is great for those with smaller hands. They are made of a bit thinner card stock than I’m used to but I’m not that tough on a deck as to bend or damage these lovely cards, a rougher shuffler may want to take a little more care. |  |
 | The cards sport a thin black border on each side, with a bit more space at the top for the Roman numerals in the Major Arcana and regular numbers at the top of the Minors. At the bottom of the Minor Arcana , is either a Cup representing Chalices, a Coin for Pentacles, Sword or Wand designating the suit from which it comes and symbols representing the designation in the Courts of Knave, Knight, Queen and King. I was quite taken by the fact that there is no wording across the cards to distract the reader or client, leaving the imagery to literally leap out before you. At the corners of this imaginative and quite the whimsical deck, one can find white, lacey flourishes framing the images as if surrounded by an elegant picture frame. |
As with any new deck, I always seek out a few specific cards such as The High Priestess, The Hermit, The Moon and The Star…to really get a feel of how a deck will read for me. It sounds a tad strange I know, but I’ve found that it’s a really good indicator of the continuity of a deck. I was impressed at all the bejewelled black cats pouncing through this deck,and keeping close to the Rider-Waite structure, the imagery is flawless and quite visually appealing.
There are two, totally white cats in this deck, which at first had me a bit curious but as I looked deeper through the cards, their reason became apparent…I know that you’re probably wondering which cards the white kitties appear on, but I must admit, you will have to remain in suspense…
It was the Lovers card of this deck that first took my breath away. It is simply exquisite. It depicts a male and female cat, dancing on grassy steps that lead to a doorway above the clouds, their feet in that unmistakable cross step move of the tango. They look very classy, very sleek, very slinky. The male has his back to us, his broad shoulders positioned in a familiar manner of dance – the left one slightly higher than the right as he gently pulls on the right paw of the female. His right arm snakes around the waist of his feline love, drawing her close to him against his chest... One can believe that he has dark, brooding eyes boring into the green, bright eyes of the beautiful female. She looks up at him, drinking in the sight of him, reluctant to take her eyes away from his. Shy and flattered, she lowers her lids allowing her long, thick lashes to fan across her cheek. Her tail is curled upward, a sign of utter contentment, as she breathes in his powerful, masculine scent. The image transports you to a time long past, of innocent love radiating from giant silver screens, revisiting scenes of Tracy and Hepburn, Olivier and Leigh, and most famously, the unforgettable Bogart and Bergman in Casablanca. With a lazy, swinging motion of his tail, the male cat sweeps the female off her feet, glides her up the staircase, in step and in time with that famous tune, “You must remember this … a kiss is just a kiss … a sigh is just a sigh …” Where other decks may depict perfect love in the Two of Cups, the Lovers card of this deck defines undying adoration, a slow and sensuous awakening of passion, eternal fidelity, and true love.
With this deck also comes a 63 page book that helps you dive into the meanings. The backs are undeniably memorable too, for they show a mirror imaged, elegant black cat, wearing a beautiful gold crown atop her head allowing for the incorporation of reversed cards if you so choose.
The Black Cats Tarot is an amazing deck that can be read by both beginners and seasoned readers alike, allowing the reader and client to quickly become enamored with these truly special Black Cats! If you'd like to get your paws on your own copy, they are available in our storefront!
There are two, totally white cats in this deck, which at first had me a bit curious but as I looked deeper through the cards, their reason became apparent…I know that you’re probably wondering which cards the white kitties appear on, but I must admit, you will have to remain in suspense…
It was the Lovers card of this deck that first took my breath away. It is simply exquisite. It depicts a male and female cat, dancing on grassy steps that lead to a doorway above the clouds, their feet in that unmistakable cross step move of the tango. They look very classy, very sleek, very slinky. The male has his back to us, his broad shoulders positioned in a familiar manner of dance – the left one slightly higher than the right as he gently pulls on the right paw of the female. His right arm snakes around the waist of his feline love, drawing her close to him against his chest... One can believe that he has dark, brooding eyes boring into the green, bright eyes of the beautiful female. She looks up at him, drinking in the sight of him, reluctant to take her eyes away from his. Shy and flattered, she lowers her lids allowing her long, thick lashes to fan across her cheek. Her tail is curled upward, a sign of utter contentment, as she breathes in his powerful, masculine scent. The image transports you to a time long past, of innocent love radiating from giant silver screens, revisiting scenes of Tracy and Hepburn, Olivier and Leigh, and most famously, the unforgettable Bogart and Bergman in Casablanca. With a lazy, swinging motion of his tail, the male cat sweeps the female off her feet, glides her up the staircase, in step and in time with that famous tune, “You must remember this … a kiss is just a kiss … a sigh is just a sigh …” Where other decks may depict perfect love in the Two of Cups, the Lovers card of this deck defines undying adoration, a slow and sensuous awakening of passion, eternal fidelity, and true love.
With this deck also comes a 63 page book that helps you dive into the meanings. The backs are undeniably memorable too, for they show a mirror imaged, elegant black cat, wearing a beautiful gold crown atop her head allowing for the incorporation of reversed cards if you so choose.
The Black Cats Tarot is an amazing deck that can be read by both beginners and seasoned readers alike, allowing the reader and client to quickly become enamored with these truly special Black Cats! If you'd like to get your paws on your own copy, they are available in our storefront!