My boyfriend and I adopted a beautiful little kitten this week, through a local rescue called the
Greater Victoria Animal Crusaders. Chantelle, who dealt with our adoption, was excited to hear that we were interested in adopting a black cat. She told us that it was very hard for them to place black kittens (a common problem for rescues and SPCA's through out North America). This was something I was already aware of, and it played a part in my decision to look for a black kitten. The Edmonton SPCA even had a one day event recently in which they gave away black cats for free because they had so many. Besides that though, I find them beautiful, their coats are a beautiful silky black, and they look like little panthers running around your house!
So my question then, is why don't people want these animals?
A common consensus in the online world seems to be a lingering superstition about black cats being evil, or bad luck. In Western history, black cats have often been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens, specifically being suspected of being the familiars of witches; other cultures consider them to be bad luck as well. However, in other parts of the world black cats were seen as just the opposite: In Great Britain, black cats are a symbol of good luck. The Scottish believe that a strange black cat's arrival to the home signifies prosperity. Furthermore, it is believed that a lady who owns a black cat will have many suitors (I guess Allan had better watch out!). Also sailors believed that having a cat on board, especially a black one, would bring good luck; sometimes their wives would keep them in their home in the hopes that it would protect their husbands at sea. Pirates even had superstitions about black cats, thinking that if a black cat walked towards a person they would have bad luck, but if it walked away it was good luck, and if one were to walk aboard a ship, and then leave, the ship would sink on it's next sail.
So are people really still influenced by old folk lore? I mean this stuff led to the massacre of black cats during the middle ages, which allowed the rat population to erupt, contributing to the spread of the black plague.
The only other reason I can think of, is that people may find cats with other markings and colours to be more interesting or beautiful. One person even suggested that black cats are less visible in their pens at the spca. Which is a good point, we call our little man Camo-Cat in the evenings because he blends into the shadows and our couch. He'll be lucky if one of us doesn't sit on him at some point.
Either way, as you can see, this little man is adorable. He is the most friendly, affectionate cat I have ever met. He wants nothing more than to be in your company (he's sleeping in my lap right now), and he purrs as soon as you touch him, talk to him, or even look at him right.
I will most definitely be posting more photos as he gets bigger. And hopefully if any of you ever decide to get a cat, you will consider that beautiful little panther, and please, please, PLEASE adopt. There are so many deserving animals out there who just want a warm and loving home to call their own.
(For more info on black cats, check out the
Wikki page)
