Black cats have been long associated with witchcraft, and over centuries have served as objects of superstitions with the bringing of bad luck. Though aside from what most believe in, what’s considered to be a frightening symbol of fall and Halloween isn’t actually frightening at all. After all, what’s so scary about a little black kitty? And why?
From the Middle Ages on, black cats were seen as “the devil in disguise” and often oppressed alongside accused witches. According to Hartz, in medieval France and Spain, black cats have been seen as curses to any human they came near. That being said, many went to extreme lengths just to avoid the ink colored felines. Being treated unfairly and being kicked to the curb isn’t all people did. Many killed the innocent and might I add, harmless cats. As a result, these mass cat murders influenced the spread of the Black Plague. Only leading those who were doing the killings to believe that the cats were the cause of this deadly disease.
From past century myths to modern day tv shows, black cats still have yet to fully escape the superstitions people associate them with. Though yes, we do love to see a cute black cat on the screen with Sabrina the Teenage Witch, it influences the delusion of them bringing harm and bad luck.
According to the National Library of Medicine, black cats had the lowest rate of adoption by 10%. In fact, some animal shelters won’t even adopt black cats around Halloween. Due to their superstitious nature, shelters and adopters avoid interactions with and abandon black cats.
Fortunately though, there are still some shelter workers and adopters that keep black cats safe. Especially around this time of year.
Ella Penhos, an adopter who owns a black cat, shared with me her and her fiance’s story on adopting their first black kitty.
“I saw an article saying a certain percentage of black cats don’t get adopted because of superstition,” said Penhos. “I thought that was unfair so we wanted to adopt a black cat. When we went to the shelter he was the only one who sat on my lap and hung out with me and let Randy hold him.”
They named their cat Tarot after his charcoal colored fur, and October being their favorite time of year.
One thing to really think about, especially with the colder seasons coming is to adopt, not shop. Cats, dogs, birds, and more are available to you from shelters nearby. When you adopt a pet, you are saving a life and providing care for homeless pets rather than those who are bred to make a profit at the expense of their health, safety, and wellbeing.
Jessica Yost, a Paws for a Cause club leader and teacher at Wheeling Park High School shared her the importance of rescuing.
“The most important reason to adopt rather than shop for a pet is that you are giving that pet a second chance at life,” said Yost. “But there are so many other factors to consider. When you shop you may potentially be supporting puppy mills and backyard breeders. But when you adopt you are saving money, and helping promote responsible breeding practices,” said Yost.
There are also so many ways you can support your local animal shelter and influence people to adopt more.
“Some ways to support your local animal shelters are by donating funds or supplies, volunteering in a variety of ways like socializing the animals or simply cleaning, and fostering the animals to help ease the burden of overcrowding at the shelter,” said Yost.
Every animal is beautiful, especially the black kitties that get pushed aside at the shelters. With Halloween coming up, black cats need some extra love and to be noticed just as much as any other animal. Just because they look a little different and have a “scarier” history, doesn’t mean they aren’t full of unconditional love. Always adopt, never shop.
