Black cats are often the last choice for people
interested in getting a new cat. Some shelters will not even take them
since getting them adopted is so difficult. Why are black felines
shunned? In the cat world, black is one of the most common colors.
Potential owners may want a different look such as various color
combinations, stripes or a different solid color.
Some people are
superstitious of black cats. A common superstition is that a black
feline walking across a human's path brings bad luck. 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-coated 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 kitty.
Historically, black cats
have often been considered to be harbingers of evil. They were thought
to be friends to witches, and witches could supposedly take on the
physical form of a cat in order to hide among humans in order to carry
out evil deeds.
Potential owners may avoid black felines if they
have a a lot of light-colored furniture and carpets or a tendency to
wear a lot of light-colored clothing. Unfortunately, black coats shed
like any other colored coat, and black hairs do tend to show up more on
light colors.
Black kitties have the false reputation of not
having good personalities. Since a cat's personality traits are due to
environment and genetics and not coat color, black felines have the
same range of personalities as other cats. But, stray black cats may be
more likely to be targeted for abuse, and abused cats are less likely
to make good companions without lots of work on behalf of the owner.
This phenomenon may be partially responsible for the belief that black
felines are not as friendly as other cats.
Please consider a
black cat if you are searching for a new feline friend. Remember that
around the month of October, some shelters restrict adoption of black
animals due to safety concerns on behalf of the pet and a high rate of
returns from people who want to use the cats as Halloween decorations.
Plenty of black felines are loving, sweet, and wonderful companions,
and one could be the perfect cat for you!
