Black as coal, black as night….

The 27th October is International Black Cat Day.

The “black cat bias“ is the phenomenon where cats with black coats are viewed more negatively, adopted less often, and euthanised more often than cats with lighter coloured fur. A study of 15,000 cats conducted by Colorado State University found that black cats spend 26.25 days in a shelter on average, compared to 24.01 days for non-black cats. However, a 2013 ASPCA study entitled “A Comprehensive Animal Risk Database” showed that while euthanasia rates for black cats tend to be higher, black cats were adopted at the highest percentage (31%), with gray cats coming in second at 20%.

The difficulty lies in the fact that there are more black cats out there than any other colour due to the black coloration gene being the dominant gene, as brown hair is in humans. This might explain why the data on black cats is so difficult to interpret.

What is a well known factor that affects adoption statistics of black cats is their historical association with witchcraft. To some this adds to their appeal, but for many, the underlaying superstition can make them uncomfortable.

What is apparent at present in the UK is there are a LOT of black cats and kittens needing loving homes. If you’re interested in offering a home to your very own ”witches cat,” its definitely worth taking a look on your local rescue sites.