Unfortunately, black cats are often considered a superstition and are often less likely to be adopted from shelters. In reality, many cultures have different beliefs about black cats. In fact, seeing a black cat has been associated with luck—both good and bad—for thousands of years. As we prepare to celebrate Black Cat Appreciation Day on August 17th, we’ve set out to bust common stereotypes about these loveable kitties.
Black cat superstition in Western culture dates back to Ancient Greece. According to Greek mythology, Zeus’s wife Hera once transformed her servant, Galinthias, into a black cat as punishment for impeding the birth of Hercules. Galinthias went on to become an assistant to Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, and black cats have had unique meanings in various cultures ever since.
Show of hands: Who has had a black cat cross their path? How many of you have been doomed to a life of bad luck? Black cats shouldn’t get a bad rap just because they look sneaky. In fact, they’re considered good luck in many cultures. In Scotland, it’s lucky for a strange black cat to arrive at your doorstep. In Japan, black cats are thought to help single women find suitors. There’s a lot of silly superstitions out there, but most of the world acknowledges black cats as cute—not creepy.
If you’ve ever had a black cat purr up against you, you’d know he’s way too cuddly to be a witch. We’re going to go out on a limb and say the evilest thing yours has ever done is scratch up the sofa.
Black cats have some of the lowest adoption rates and highest euthanasia rates in shelters across the United States. It’s also harder to attract adopters—rescues and shelters often feature photos of their adoptable cats online, and black cats are more difficult to photograph than lighter-coated cats. It’s been reported that potential adopters perceive black pets as less friendly than lighter-coated pets solely based on a photograph. Some shelters even stop adopting out black cats in October altogether in fear that they’ll be used as Halloween props.
Show of hands: Who has had a black cat cross their path? How many of you have been doomed to a life of bad luck? Black cats shouldn’t get a bad rap just because they look sneaky. In fact, they’re considered good luck in many cultures. In Scotland, it’s lucky for a strange black cat to arrive at your doorstep. In Japan, black cats are thought to help single women find suitors. There’s a lot of silly superstitions out there, but most of the world acknowledges black cats as cute—not creepy.
Those statistics don’t mean that you should stay away from adopting a black cat. You shouldn’t choose an adoptable pet simply based on a photo; meeting the pet in person is the best way to gauge if he or she is the right fit for you. Your purrfect match just might be a sweet black cat waiting for you at your local shelter. (Not to mention, black cats are great for avoiding light hairs showing up on all your clothes!)
There’s no need to be a fraidy cat. Let’s try to put the old fables behind us and show black cats the love they deserve.
Resources
ASPCA
PetMD.com
Smithsonian.com
Four Paws®, Magic Coat®, and Wee-Wee® products are available at major pet stores everywhere in the U.S. Please check with your local retailer for product availability near you.