7 things you probably didn't know about Black Cats
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
By: Wendy Welch
Are you a cool cat? Take the quiz.
Some call them "panthers." Others "ebony sleeks." And yet some in our history thought of them as demonic. Love them or not, black cats have a wonderful history and mystery. How much do you know about them?
- Should you adopt black cats out at Halloween? Though some shelters worry black cats will be abused or used
as décor, then abandoned after the holiday, there’s no proof to any of these
activities. Similar to the “razorblade in the apple” (That has never
happened!), the “be careful of bad people adopting black cats at Halloween”
appears to be scary mythology! (HSHV keeps the same adoption policies
year-round, in the interest of both the animals and the people who provide
homes for them.
- Are more black cats boys or girls? Though not all cats are solid black, black fur pigmentation is
slightly more prevalent in male cats than females. And most black cats have
yellow eyes, thanks to high levels of melatonin.
- What color is least likely to get adopted? Many shelters report that all other colors of cats
find homes faster than black cats. But when the numbers get crunched, it may be
more of a matter of sheer numbers; that is, there are simply more black cats
than any other color.
- Are black cats purebred? Black cats are fancy, too; Cat Fanciers’ Association recognizes
22 cat breeds who can have solid black coats. And their fur goes with your LBD!
- Do black cats mean bad luck? Not in Japan, the UK or Scotland. Scottish lore says you’ll experience wealth
if a black cat appears in your home. And in England, if give a bride a black
cat, it’s rumored you’ll be giving her luck.
- Do black cats have witchy ways? Sometime in the Middle Ages,
Europeans started saying the older ladies who were caring for black cats were
witches—and thus associated the cats with witchcraft. Deeply suspicious
Pilgrims arriving at Plymouth Rock thought black cats were not only witches’ buddies,
but little devils, and would punish—or even kill—someone who was caught with a
black cat. Crazy, eh? Contrast that with Egyptian times when black cats were highly esteemed—killing one was a capital crime.
- What are black cats better at?
Black cats are rumored to be better hunters. We’re not sure about that one, but
we do know black cats make great lovers; just ask someone who’s adopted one.
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