Witches, spells, magic books, and potions — there are a few things so deeply intertwined with spooky season that we can’t imagine this time of year without them. Of course, we’re forgetting a four-legged piece of the puzzle that doesn’t just make us think of witches like the Sandersons and Sabrina during Halloween but also brings warmth to our hearts all year round — we’re, of course, talking about black cats.

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There are many tales about black cats bringing bad luck, but that’s all just a bunch of hocus pocus if you ask us. In fact, I have two black cats, and they’ve only brought us more love and affection. Black cats are furry companions, and if you open your heart up to them, it will surely change you. Just ask Sabrina or Dani Dennison. With cats like Binx and Salem to Bob and Snowball II, black cats bring a sprinkle of magic and sarcasm to some of the best in film and TV.

To celebrate the spooky season and forever toss away the narrative that black cats are all bad luck, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite cat companions that brought magic and luck to their pop culture counterparts and made us fall in love with the journey.

8. Berlioz — The Aristocats

The mischievous addition to The Aristocats, Berlioz is as talented as he is smart, and, more than anything, he is quite the snarky and sarcastic little cat. He can often be seen playing the piano, wearing a red ribbon around his neck, and being the smallest and arguably most adorable member of the bunch. If you’d like to argue that some consider him a grey cat, that’s fine — but for argument’s sake, we’ve picked a side and added him to our list.

7. Snowball II — The Simpsons

When the Simpsons lost their first cat, Snowball, they replaced their lost animal with a new cat and, obviously, named the new kitten Snowball II. Snowball II is great pals with the family’s other pet, Santa’s Little Helper, and while Snowball II isn’t a scene stealer in many an episode, he is noted for saving Homer’s life after he nearly burned in a fire.

6. Felix — Felix the Cat

Felix the Cat was an animated comedy series in 1958 that starred a cat of the same name, i.e., Felix. He went on many adventures with his magic bag of tricks, and kids and adults alike could sit down to watch this series together. Felix is adventurous savvy, and always finds a way to laugh in any situation. The series only ran for two seasons but consisted of 128 episodes in total and remained a great watch throughout its short run.

5. Luna — Sailor Moon

Luna, the sweet black cat from Sailor Moon, is quite an addition to the series and entertainment as a whole. The talking cat is determined, kind, and wise as she guides the Sailor Senshi through everything, from their day-to-day lives to their duties and the roads they must travel. While her wisdom is at the crux of her character, she is also hopeful, romantic, and sweet. Luna is one of the most popular black cats in TV history, and rightfully so.

4. Bob — Luck

Luck, the Apple TV Plus film, gave us a new black cat to love with its debut in 2022. While he’s one of the latest cats to sweep us off of our feet in the entertainment realm, he’s one we’ve grown to love the most. Bob is a cat who has always been seen as a lucky cat, despite the overarching notion that black cats are quite the opposite, and it appears that good things often come his way. He’s a bit snarky, confident, hopeful, and, most of all — lucky, and he stole our hearts immediately.

3. The Cat — Coraline

Disney introduced us to another beloved black cat in Coraline, and The Cat is a character you won’t soon forget. You’d be right if you paid close attention to the fact that we’ve added quite a few snarky cats to this list, and we’re not done yet. The Cat is sarcastic in all the best ways, but he’s also got a heart of gold hidden under his tough exterior.

2. Salem — Sabrina, the Teenage Witch

What would the entertainment realm be without our beloved Salem? When we first began watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch, it was immediately obvious that the cat would be a scene stealer and steal a scene he did. In fact, he stole all of them; Salem is as passionate a character as he is snarky, and he’s also quirky and hilarious. He doesn’t like to admit it, but he’s got a soft heart and a soft side, and while he might deny it outright, there’s a part of Salem that’s always craving cuddles. If we had to pick a black cat that we most relate to, it would be Salem.

1. Binx — Hocus Pocus

Thackery Binx, the heart and soul of Hocus Pocus. The Sanderson Sisters turned him into a cat after they stole the life out of his sister, and he had to spend eternity without a family to love. Of course, all of that changes in Hocus Pocus, and as he helps our beloved characters survive, they begin to fall in love with him, inviting Binx to be part of their family forever. Of course, he eventually gets the happy ending he’d been waiting for since he lost his sister, but he assures us that he’s never far away. Binx made us laugh, cry, and wish we could spend eternity with him!

We’ve got to give a special shout-out to a few cats who didn’t quite make the list but still top out as some of our favorite black cats in entertainment. Mittens from Bolt, Figaro from Pinocchio, and Sylvester from Looney Tunes are three iconic cats who are technically not black cats but tuxedo cats. They’re memorable pieces of pop culture history, and we couldn’t honor black cats in entertainment without mentioning them. We also have to give a shout to Lucifer from Cinderella, who many believe to be a grey Persian after the live-action remake, but we’re still calling him a black cat in our minds.

If any of these cats ever cross your path, call yourself lucky, and if you ever find a black cat of your own, consider it a piece of magic bestowed upon you.