Ya know that superstition that it's bad luck for black cats to cross your path?

Don't buy it.

The only time I ever had issues with black cats crossing my path was when I was on crutches. Then my two cats at the time, Melody and Harmony, wanted to "help" Meowmy navigate the stairs by doing purring figure-eights and rubbing against the crutches and my legs. I kept trying to convince them that this was a Certifiably Bad Idea, as unlike them I only had one life and couldn't afford to take a header down the entire flight of stairs. They never quite "got it". They meant well, though, bless their fuzzy little hearts. Fortunately, I recovered to the point where I no longer needed crutches, and I did so without having a second, stair-related, helpful-kitty-induced spill in the interim.

And, as I have discovered over the past few days, the cats don't have to be BLACK cats in order to create this same sort of issue while crossing your path. Captain and Stanley appear to have an endless fascination with my navigating the stairs while using a cane. I'm constantly being escorted by one or both members of The Stripe Committee any time I have to go up or down the steps. With luck, my ankle will improve quickly, and we won't have to deal for long with the risk of a feline/Meowmy pileup at the foot of the stairs.

So, let's recap the reasons why that black-cats-crossing-your-path-is-unlucky superstition is false:

• It's only a problem if you're already having difficulty maneuvering on foot from Point A to Point B
  
• If the above case is true, it doesn't have to be BLACK cats creating the hazard
  

Now, get out there and navigate safely, and be careful not to trip on the Helpful Kitties. Their intentions are good.