Black cats get such a bad rap. It's that whole Halloween-superstition thing.
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| Ooooooooo! I'm soooo frightennnnned! |
Are people still superstitious about black cats crossing their paths? I remember, when we were rebellious teenagers, we would say, "Nah, it's GOOD luck when a black cat crosses your path." The adults would look at us as if we were possessed by Satan. On the other hand, the Japanese believe a black cat crossing one's path is good luck.
Statistically-speaking, black cats are the last to be adopted from shelters... more accurately, they are often overlooked or ignored altogether by potential adopters. There is even a thing called "Black Cat Syndrome", which is not a disease, but a statistic that shows that the color of an animal plays a definitive role in cat adoption.
Sigh.
Last night, lying in bed composing this blog post in my head (yeah, that's how I "write"), I started trying to remember all the black cats I've had. You can read more about my black pets in this post from February which was Adopt a Black Shelter Pet Month, but I wanted to showcase them again. Here's a list, by memory, of my black cats (in chronological order!):
Slippers
Ratsky
Love Kitty
Mr. Kitty
Louise -- not pictured -- (Louise, who was with us in the early 1990s, was actually a feral cat, but she lived in our garage, and we fed her. She did live in the house for a while, but she was so feral she wasn't about to have any of that house-living! Although she did enjoy sitting on my lap on occasion. I have no pictures of her. Her name came from the fact that she sneezed, a lot. "Sneeze Louise")
Tux
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| Tux is sleeping in the basket on my desk as I write this, as he does every day :) |
Honorable mentions (the calicos, who are/were predominantly black):
Patches
These are two different cats, photos taken 35+ years apart!
Uncanny resemblance on the markings!
Cali
[Gee, such original names! LOL!]
Don't believe all the myths about black cats. They aren't true! Black cats are awesome!
I've adored and treasured the many cats who've crossed my path, especially the black ones.
But maybe I'm a witch.
Tell me about your black cat(s) in the comments!
I am not a veterinarian, medical professional, canine or feline professional or specialist. I have owned and parented nine dogs and more than 40 cats in my lifetime. I write this blog based on my own experiences as a pet owner/pet parent. Please consult a professional if you need help with a canine or feline medical or behavior problem. Thank you.
I was told to spit when I see a black cat or find another route if it crosses in front of me. Crazy! I have three grey cats now. I think you just gave me an idea for tomorrow :)
ReplyDeleteI have 3 kitties but none are black!
ReplyDeleteHappy A to Z!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
I've never had an all black cat but I have had a tuxedo kitty and a calico kitty! I think black cats are gorgeous - they don't get a bad rap from me :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful roundup of black cats! We have two black-and-white cats, Sophie and Alice, sister rescue kitties, and an old gray tabby (who sometimes looks black if you squint and her stripes run together) named Nala. It's sad people don't want black cats. Thanks for the post and for stopping by the Alexandria Publishing Group A to Z blog!
ReplyDeleteAll black kitties are awesome!! I tend to gravitate towards them, like no one else will have them so I will. I had a black kitty for 19 years (Deacon) and he was the best (past away in 2007). I currently have two all black, Monkey (4 yrs old) and Linus (2 years old). I also have a White and Black calico (Marco 8 yrs old).
ReplyDeleteAll black kitties are awesome!! I tend to gravitate towards them, like no one else will have them so I will. I had a black kitty for 19 years (Deacon) and he was the best (past away in 2007). I currently have two all black, Monkey (4 yrs old) and Linus (2 years old). I also have a White and Black calico (Marco 8 yrs old).
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big cat fan, but if I had to have a cat...it would be a black one becasue I think they are pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteI have one cat, multi-colored, tortoise shell they call it. I have two wonderful black german shepherds and they are my fur babies. they are Max and Tasha and I think Max loves me more than anyone else in the family and Tasha is my protector. If you want to visit with them, http://www.dogsrulecatsdrool.com
ReplyDeleteI just followed you on FB and Twitter, and checked out your site! :) I like your late dog named Spencer. I live in a town called Spencer. My late dog, Hector, was born a week before 9/11 (Sept 4th 2001) and your Spencer was born on the one-year anniversary. Both passed within a couple months of each other, and your dog passed on my dog Hobie's 12th birthday! Strange coincidences. Sorry for your loss. The new dogs certainly do seem to channel those who have gone before!
DeleteMy grandparents had a black cat when I was a child. His name was Mittens, as he was all black except for white fur on his paws. He was a pretty cool cat - less aloof than most cats. He often liked to play very dog-like games. He even played fetch better than my dog Sadie does now!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first decided to get a cat, I wanted a black cat. But then I met Pebbles and fell in love. They said she was calico but she's got more white on her with brown and black patches. And Buttons is a white and grey tabby. I fell for them due to their personalities. When my clothes and furniture are covered in white hair, I sometimes wish they were black cats I had originally wanted! :D
ReplyDeleteOf all the cats I've had, I haven't ever had a white one. I think a couple of GIl's mother's cats (which we eventually took in at the farm) were all-white, but I can't remember.
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