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15 Weird Ways People Tried to Survive the Black Plague

Trista July 6, 2025 8 min

11. Killing Stray Cats and Dogs

800px nuremberg chronicles dance of death (cclxiiiiv) — Inspired by the Black Death, *The Dance of Death*, or *Danse Macabre*, an allegory on the universality of death, was a common painting motif in the late medieval period. Source: Wikipedia

In an effort to halt the spread of the plague, authorities ordered the mass killing of stray cats and dogs, mistakenly believing these animals were to blame for the outbreak. This policy backfired, as it led to a rise in the rat population—the true carriers of plague-infested fleas. By disrupting the natural balance, this measure tragically worsened the crisis. Learn more about the origins of the plague

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Trista

11. Killing Stray Cats and Dogs

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