For many years black cats have been villainized or disparaged simply due to the color of their fur. This is typically due to the unfair representations portrayed within media or other forms of consumerism. This has led to people neglecting, ignoring, and even abusing cats with all black fur. In folklore black cats are seen to be bad luck or misfortune. During Halloween black cats are portrayed as “spooky” or the companions of witches. Black cats definitely get a bad reputation and an unfair advantage just because of their fur color. These unfair representations can in turn, lead to less adoptions of black cats during the holidays. While the public perception may be that black cats are safer in shelters during these times, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the people walking through our doors, do so with the best intentions. Why would someone come to a shelter, submit to an application process, specifically for an animal that is fixed and up to date on its medical care needs, and pay an adoption fee, if their plans weren’t to love that animal unconditionally?

As a member of FAPL I can definitely say I haven’t met a black cat I haven’t loved and it hurts me to see that this untrue superstition still runs rampant in today’s society. Black cats, and all of our cats are always in need of homes. Getting out of the shelter is the best thing for them! In fact, on October 27th, we celebrate National Black Cat Awareness Day to help debunk the negative perceptions associated with the adoption of black cats!