Black cats unfairly shunned, stigmatized, say regional animal rescue groups

Black cats unfairly shunned, stigmatized, say regional animal rescue groups

Lucian picked his owners outside a grocery store.

Provided

Lucian is one lucky black cat. The emerald-eyed feline has been living in the lap of luxury since being rescued from the streets of Albany nine years ago by the Pecha family of Falls Village.

Today Lucian lives in Litchfield with his owner, David Pecha, where he spends his days cat-napping, bird-watching, attention-seeking and occasionally cajoling with a neighborhood fox.

Unlike Lucian, not all black cats end up in forever homes. According to regional animal rescue groups, black pets in general, and black cats in particular, are often shunned by prospective adopters.

Enter National Black Cat Day 2024, which falls on Oct. 27 this year. The annual awareness day is designed to support and promote the beauty and well-being of black cats and to dispel myths and superstitions that have haunted them for centuries, particularly around Halloween.

The day plays a vital role in advocating for welfare and adoption of black cats.

Shunned through no fault of their own

“I’ve had someone come up to me and say they would take anything but black,” said Beverly Ditto of Collaborative Cats, a feline foster home-based rescue organization serving Southern Columbia and Northern Dutchess counties of New York. “There are black cat lovers, but that is rare.”

Ditto, who has owned several black cats, said she has found them to be among the “sweetest and most lovable” of felines, second to orange cats, and not deserving of being feared.

She attributes their lack of popularity to long-held superstitions about them being harbingers of bad luck or that they are evil doers associated with Satanic rituals. Black cats also blend in with shadows, giving them a spooky appearance.

Because superstitions about black cats are reinforced around Halloween, it is common for shelters to put adoptions on hold. According to the Smithsonian, some adoption agencies and shelters won’t even consider placing black cats in homes until after Halloween for fear they will be tortured or sacrificed.

“All the shelters generally are very nervous about adopting out before Halloween,” said Ditto. “There are people out there to be known to harm black cats. I haven’t encountered that, but it has been a big worry amongst the rescues.”

Currently, Collaborative Cats, which takes in stray, abandoned, injured and homeless felines, has several black kittens available for adoption, including Roary, Jacques and Lucifer, all described as sweet and playful.

The organization, which is not a shelter, said Ditto, is constantly seeking new foster homes for its approximately 100 felines.

Raven and Bagheera

At The Little Guild in West Cornwall, two black cats, Raven and Bagheera, arrived at the shelter in August and are awaiting adoption. Both are about a year old and have the sweetest dispositions, said the shelter’s executive director Jenny Langendoerfer.

“It is interesting that people do like to see unique colorings and markings,” she noted. “But the one thing about black cats is that they make the most wonderful pets.”

Langendoerfer described Bagheera, a sturdy, green-eyed young male, as a “mini panther, very silly and very sweet,” and 1-year-old Raven as very playful.

Lauren Mucha, one of the caregivers at The Last Post cat sanctuary and cat retirement home in Falls Village where 124 cats reside, said about 20 of its feline residents are black.

She said she is perplexed as to why people would shy away from dark-coated cats, as they don’t deserve the negative image.

One cat in particular, Jinx, has been a resident at The Last Post for the last eight years and does not have a mean bone in its body, said Mucha, who described him as a Velcro cat, a “real cuddler.”

This cat picked his family

Not everyone is on board with the negative black cat spin. For some, a visit from a black cat means good luck or prosperity. In some cultures, black cats, considered sleek and seductive with their all-knowing yellow and green eyes, are even worshipped.

Take Lucian’s owner, David Pecha, for instance.

The mini household panther was rescued by Pecha’s son, Alex, about nine years ago while attending college in Albany. Alex and a friend had emerged from a grocery store “and the cat came flying out from under a car, meowing at them and trailing them.”

It was the end of the school year, and because the cat appeared to be pretty well cared for, said Pecha, they thought it might have escaped during the confusion of the move.

After failing to find a no-kill shelter nearby, they took Lucian back home with them to Falls Village and posted “cat found” posters around campus, but no one came forth to claim the black cat, said Pecha.

Before long, Lucian befriended a doppelganger named Bagheera, owned by the Atwood family just up the street, Pecha recalled.

“He was the spitting image of Lucian, and they hung out together. You would see the two of them running around the streets in the middle of town.”

When Pecha relocated to Litchfield a few years ago, so did Lucian, who has since settled into his new quarters, according to his owner. He considers his cat to be more like a loyal dog, with a unique personality.

Unlike other cats, Lucian doesn’t use a water bowl. Instead, he laps up his drink from a tall glass, filled with cool water straight from the fridge.

And as for snow, the pampered feline will have nothing of it. “He doesn’t do winter,” said Pecha. “He’ll put one paw in the snow, and it’s ‘Oh, hell no.”


Available for adoption

Below are several black cats up for adoption at The Little Guild in West Cornwall, and Collaborative Cats in Ancramdale, NY. Additional details are available by contacting the rescue groups either by phone or via their website. Photos provided.

Raven

The Little Guild

West Cornwall, Conn. | (860) 672-6346
www.littleguild.org

Bagheera

The Little Guild

West Cornwall, Conn. | (860) 672-6346
www.littleguild.org

Jacques

Collaborative Cats

Ancramdale, N.Y. | (518) 303-2910 www.collaborativecats.com

Lucifer

Collaborative Cats

Ancramdale, N.Y. | (518) 303-2910 www.collaborativecats.com

Roary

Collaborative Cats

Ancramdale, N.Y. | (518) 303-2910 www.collaborativecats.com

Latest News

Farewell to a visionary leader: Amy Wynn departs AMP after seven years

When longtime arts administrator Amy Wynn became the first executive director of the American Mural Project (AMP) in 2018, the nonprofit was part visionary art endeavor, part construction site and part experiment in collaboration.

Today, AMP stands as a fully realized arts destination, home to the world’s largest indoor collaborative artwork and a thriving hub for community engagement. Wynn’s departure, marked by her final day Oct. 31, closes a significant chapter in the organization’s evolution. Staff and supporters gathered the afternoon before to celebrate her tenure with stories, laughter and warm tributes.

Keep Reading Show less
Let them eat cake: ‘Kings of Pastry’ screens at The Norfolk Library
A scene from “Kings of Pastry.”
Provided

The Norfolk Library will screen the acclaimed documentary “Kings of Pastry” on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. The film will be introduced by its producer, Salisbury resident Flora Lazar, who will also take part in a Q&A following the screening.

Directed by legendary documentarians D.A. Pennebaker (“Don’t Look Back,” “Monterey Pop”) and Chris Hegedus (“The War Room”), “Kings of Pastry” offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (Best Craftsmen of France) competition, a prestigious national award recognizing mastery across dozens of trades, from pastry to high technology. Pennebaker, who attended The Salisbury School, was a pioneer of cinéma vérité and received an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement.

Keep Reading Show less
A night of film and music at The Stissing Center
Kevin May, left, and Mike Lynch of The Guggenheim Grotto.
Provided

On Saturday, Nov. 15, the Stissing Center in Pine Plains will be host to the Hudson Valley premiere of the award-winning music documentary “Coming Home: The Guggenheim Grotto Back in Ireland.” The screening will be followed by an intimate acoustic set from Mick Lynch, one half of the beloved Irish folk duo The Guggenheim Grotto.

The film’s director, Will Chase, is an accomplished and recognizable actor with leading and supporting roles in “Law & Order,” “The Good Wife,” “Rescue Me,” “Nashville,” “The Deuce,” “Stranger Things” and “Dopesick.” After decades of acting on television and on Broadway, Chase decided to take the plunge into directing his own short films and documentaries.

Keep Reading Show less