How did the lack of cats make plague worse?

The common misconception that the lack of cats made the plague worse is a myth. While cats were initially blamed for the plague during the Middle Ages, it was actually rats that were the primary carriers of the disease, specifically the black rat.

Here's why:

* The Plague was Spread by Fleas on Rats: The bubonic plague was transmitted through fleas that lived on rats. These fleas, when infected, would bite humans and spread the plague bacteria.

* Cats Did Not Significantly Impact the Rat Population: While cats are natural predators of rats, they are not particularly effective at controlling large rat populations.

* Cats Were Victims of the Plague Too: The plague did affect cats, and as the plague spread, many cats died.

* Other Factors Contributed to the Plague's Spread: Overcrowding, poor sanitation, and lack of understanding of the disease's transmission were major factors in the spread of the plague.

The myth that cats contributed to the plague stemmed from a misunderstanding of the disease's transmission and from the fact that cats were often seen as demonic or associated with witchcraft. This led to the persecution and killing of cats, which ironically may have worsened the plague by eliminating a natural predator of rats, but only to a small degree.

In reality, the plague's spread was a complex issue that involved a combination of factors, and blaming cats for it was a misdirected scapegoat.