Black Cats are Wonderful

By Sharon Brunner

 

There are many advantages to being a black cat owner:

•Holding a black cat is very slimming.

•Black cats will match any decor.
•A lint brush isn't required for a black-tie affair.
•When you love a black cat, luck is on your side.
•Black cats are like onyx, a beautiful gem.
•Hey, they don't care what color you are!
*Love knows no color.
•They are the least likely to be adopted. 

Ebony felines may have a health advantage over other cats.  The gene for melanism, which makes their fur black, may be able to prevent certain viruses or bacteria from entering their cells, making them more resistant to disease than cats with lighter-colored coats, according to scientists. 

A 2002 study in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science that examined adoption rates over nine months in a California pound found that black cat cats are about half as likely to be adopted as a tabby cat, and two-thirds less likely than white cat cats. In general, the odds are not good: of the approximately 3000 cats of all colors offered for adoption during that time, only about 600 or 20% found homes.

In my experience, black cats are like any other feline. They can be sweet, silly, clever, feisty, loungers, or whirlwinds. They are as beautiful as any other cat, if not more so. They aren’t identical. And those of us who share our lives with them are very fond of them.

Some people are superstitious of black cats. Common superstition is that a black feline walking across the human’s path can bring bad luck. Historically, black cats have often been considered to be evil omens.  They were thought to be friends to witches; witches could supposedly take on the physical form of a cat in order to hide among humans in order to carry out evil acts. A black kitty can make humans that subscribe to that particular belief very fearful or at least, uneasy. Interestingly, in other places, such as the UK, black cats are believed to bring good luck. Also, discovering a white hair on a black feline is considered to be good luck. Since white hairs are common on black animals, there are many chances to find good luck for the owner of a black cats.

Black cats acquired a false reputation of not having good personalities. Since a feline’s personality traits are due to environment and genetics and not coat color, black cat's have the same range of personalities as any other cat. However; black cats may be more likely to be targeted for abuse, and abused cats are less likely to make good companions without lots of dedication on behalf of the guardian. This phenomenon may be partially responsible for the belief that black cats are not as friendly as other cats.  Black dogs are often more abused and less likely to be adopted than their lighter colored peers.

It is common practice among rescue organizations to not allow black cat adoptions during October, to prevent them from being used as party props and returned, or, as urban legend has it, sacrificed on Halloween.