Charcoal-coloured Critters: Why the bad rap?

Originally published October 9th, 2018 on www.saskatoonspca.com

One of the most surprising things I learned in my first few months working at an animal shelter is that not all animals are treated the same. In particular, animals with black fur – especially cats with black fur – truly do have a harder time finding their forever home. Prejudice of this kind sounds like a myth, but it isn’t – in fact, the phenomenon even has a name: Black Dog Syndrome.

So, why could this possibly be? We’ve all heard the old superstitions that black cats are supposed symbols of bad luck, but could that possibly impact someone’s decision on whether to adopt? Unfortunately, it appears as though this is the case. The most common reasons that black cats struggle to be adopted include:

➢ They’re uninteresting. Black cats are often overlooked due to their “plain” appearance compared to the appealing patterns of tabby, calico, and tortoiseshell cats. In fact, black animals are sometimes missed entirely when browsing the adoption floor as they can easily hide in the shadows of their kennel. ➢ They’re difficult to photograph. Unfortunately, the dark colour of black fur makes these cats and dogs difficult to capture by camera, meaning that many animal shelters and humane societies have trouble using photos of these animals in promotional materials. Some shelter members even go to the extent of explaining this is a bigger problem now due to selfie culture, and that people don’t want a cat they can’t show off well in photos or on social media. ➢ And finally, superstition still exists. Some potential adopters may still use the “bad luck black cat” notion as a deciding factor in choosing their new forever friend, despite common sense.

It’s important to mention that none of our animals have a “time limit” at the Saskatoon SPCA – as long as the animal is healthy and safe around people, we will take as long as needed to ensure we find them a loving forever home! This means that black cats aren’t necessarily adopted less often at the shelter, but rather, it means it takes them longer to be adopted compared to their otherwise-coloured counterparts. In fact, black cats spend as much as 40% longer on the adoption floor.

Despite her sweet personality and striking looks, SPCA alumni Ariane spent nearly 3 months in our care before being adopted.

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Originally published October 9th, 2018 Charcoal Critters

Unfortunately, a black cat’s taboo nature leads to some strange complications around Halloween time. Many shelters and animal loves fear that someone will adopt a black cat “without good intentions”, such as to use them as a costume accessory, or even to mistreat them due to their reputation of being a bad omen or symbol of witchcraft. In fact, many shelters refuse to adopt out black cats in the month of October for these reasons. Thankfully, the Saskatoon SPCA’s adoption process includes a lengthy application form designed to screen out those who aren’t prepared to take on the responsibility and commitment that a pet requires.

There are conflicting statistics in numerous studies on the nature of a black animal’s stay on the adoption floor. For example, data from one study indicates that more black animals are adopted from shelters than those of other colours; a likely explanation for this figure may be that a larger proportion of animals entering shelters in the first place are black. This is likely the same reason that some studies show that euthanasia rates are higher for black animals in some shelters.

Times are Changing!

Thankfully, it appears the black-cat aversion trends are going out of style. There have been reports that, since the release of Marvel’s Black Panther movie, adoption rates of black cats has skyrocketed! Last November, the Saskatoon SPCA successfully held their first ever “Black (Cat) Friday” adoption event to find homes for black pets over the black Friday weekend, which was incredibly popular. National Black Cat Day is now celebrated every year on October 27th, giving us all just another excuse to promote our love of our charcoal-coloured fur babies.

Regardless of your personal preferences, adopting a shelter animal of any colour or pattern is always helpful! The Saskatoon SPCA provides care to over 4 000 lost, abandoned, neglected, and abused pets every year, and we rely on our adoption program to help find homes for so many of these animals. If you’d like to learn more about adopting and about finding the perfect companion for your family, visit our website!

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