Hilltown Families 
Acts of Kindness: Adopt a Black Cat!
Defy Superstition and Practice Kindness: Adopt a Black Cat!
According to Puritan superstition, black cats carry with them demons and sorcery. The notoriety black cats have gained through this superstition has landed their silhouette on many a Halloween decoration, but otherwise, it hasn’t worked out well for them. And according to the superstitions of other cultures, black cats actually bring much more good than harm! Scottish folklore tells of black cats bringing prosperity to homes they visit, and British and Japanese folks are quite fond of black cats as well!
Statistically speaking, black cats and kittens don’t fare well at shelters. Rather than bringing bad luck, they actually tend to have some bad luck of their own and are the least adopted cats in US shelters year-round. There’s no definitive reason for why this is, but animal rescue organizations believe a combination of superstition, dark kennels, and the brightly colored coats of other cats could all be partially to blame.
This Halloween season, practice kindness by adopting a black cat from a local shelter! Families who are considering adding a new furry friend to their household should consider seeking out a black cat – they’ll offer all of the snuggles and playtime that come with cats of any other color, and you’ll be ensuring that they don’t spend excess time in a shelter waiting for a family or, even worse, euthanized.
Locally, black cats can be sought out at Dakin Humane Society in Leverett and Springfield, Berkshire Humane Society’s Purradise in Great Barrington, the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center in Springfield, Feline Friends Cat Sanctuary in Feeding Hills, and the Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter in Pittsfield. Should a local shortage of adoptable black cats occur, the organization Black Cat Rescue caters specifically to finding homes for black cats and is based in the Boston area.
Can’t commit to a permanent addition to your household? Consider fostering cats for a short-term cat commitment that helps to support the wellness of felines awaiting adoption. While not all fostered cats will be black cats, making a commitment to foster cats will support shelters and help to ensure that all cats are well taken care of – black and otherwise!
[Photo credit: (cc) shira gal]
We got our all-black cat from Dakin about five years ago in October. My son learned later that our cat is actually a Bombay breed, which is a deliberate mix of domestic shorthair and Burmese. These cats, which may account for many black cats we see, have a wonderful personality — they’re a bit like dogs and are likely to greet you and your visitors at the door. They talk a lot, and they like attention. So families will like these cats, as well as those living alone.
Look up the Bombay breed online. I think you’ll like what you learn.