When we hear “Halloween”, a few iconic images come to mind: pumpkins, candy, ghosts...and let’s not forget the stars of the show- Black Cats! Who can resist that sleek, dark coat and those big bright eyes? Well...apparently some folks can.
It’s been widely speculated that black cats have lower adoption rates than any other fur color in shelters. But…
a) Is this true?
b) Why?
The Truth About Black Cat Adoptions
There’s been many back-and-forth arguments on if black cats are truly less likely to be adopted, but there’s been a number of conducted studies that support the theory that they have disproportionate adoption rates compared to cats of other colors.
It’s easy to understand why some may say that this is all a myth. An article written by Dr. Emily Weiss of the ASPCA revealed that black cats have the highest adoption figures! However, the study Dr. Weiss wrote also revealed that black cats have the highest population in shelters, the highest intake numbers and the highest euthanasia rates. Add that all up, and black cats still appear to have a difficult time getting—and staying—adopted.
To further add evidence, a 2014 study conducted in New York revealed that lighter-colored cats were adopted out faster than dark coat cats. In addition to that, a European study showed that dark-colored cats stayed in shelters significantly longer than light or medium shade cat.
So it seems that there is truth to this myth, but why?
There could be a number of theories as to why. Black cats are often synonymous with bad luck, witches and fear. Another newer theory stems from some shelters claiming that potential adopters will request “any color except black” “because they do not ‘show well’ in selfies”! Well, we clearly think that’s a load of kitty litter…
If you see a black cat heading your way, don’t worry! The only thing they want to do is curse you with lots of affection and purrs. Embrace this spooky new Halloween fur-iend of yours! Especially since having a cat can add a plethora of benefits to your life like decreasing stress, reducing heart-related health problems and improving mental well-being!
At the end of the day, the truth is that black cats are like all our other furry feline friends. All they really want in life is a human pawtner-in-crime to give them lots of pets, cuddles, playtime and treats. So let’s celebrate these fur-iends of ours this season- show a black cat in your life some year-round Howl-O-Ween love!
SOURCES:
https://www.beyond-skin.com/blog/2017/10/30/black-cats-animal-shelters/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888705.2014.971156
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08927936.2017.1370230
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-42871851
https://www.peta2.com/news/black-cats/
https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-being-cat-lover#1
Comments (2)
Since I adapted a black cat from shelter,my life changed for good. I named him Lucky and he is very loving smart
Cat. I am so happy to have him in my life.
Having two long haired black beauties, I’m definitely a little biased, but that being said, these boys have been the best cats I have had the pleasure of rescuing. I never thought twice about adopting them because of their color. Black is good luck anyway!