The Birth: Years ago a noted cat burgular, Walter Hardy was jailed for his crimes. But his legacy did not stop there. His daughter, Felicia Hardy was impressed by her fathers exploits and trained hard in gymnastics and martial arts to follow in her father's footsteps. For a long time she primed herself for an act that would require total skill and planning : freeing her father from prison. Felicia sewed up a costume for herself and tested her skill about town as the Black Cat. This feline beauty romped her way into the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #194 for the first time.

The Alter Ego: Felicia was brought up by her mother, Lydia after her father went to serve time. She began a career in crime out of respect and adoration for her cat-burgler father. She also kept up the masquerade to get Spider-Man's attention with whom she had fallen in love. Later on, the two of them did get real close and she is one of the people who knows his dual identity. Though Peter later on lost interest in her, she kept pining for him and even dated Flash Thompson for a while to irritate Peter. Now that Peter's married, she left off, and is even close friends with Mary Jane.
After leaving her way of crime, she took up a job as a private investigator in New York City. Even though she's had a criminal record, she lives as a free bird since she was granted legal amnesty.

The Legend: Felicia Hardy did free her father from prison so that the sickly man could spend the last few days with his family. Against her father's wishes, she continued her criminal carreer as the Black Cat.
Her obsession with Spider-Man made her continue as the Black Cat. In fact, the very firt time that they met, she told Spidey how deeply in love with him she was and even partially lifted his mask to give him a smooch.
She has also used aliases like Felicity Harmon in her dealings with the underworld. The Black Cat was true to her name, and somehow "accidents" always befell those who crossed her part. But other than her cleverly thought up accidents, her gymnastics and her martial arts, she possessed no powers. Her only weapons were her claws. After her near-death at the hands of The Owl and Doctor Octopus in Spectacular #72, Felicia feared that her lack of powers made her a vulnerability to Spider-Man, and that she would lose him.
In a thoughtless move, she made a deal with the Kingpin in return for super powers that his scientists could confer upon her. But unknown to her, the Kingpin's plan was to bring Spidey down and her newly-gained genuine 'bad luck' power was always jinxing Peter. This caused a break-up between Peter and her. Later, Dr. Strange took her powers away, changing her other abilities in the process. Felicia has now retired from the world of crime and now lives a normal life.

Amazing Spider-Man #194