Black Cat Appreciation Day

Did you know that August 17th is Black Cat Appreciation Day? While all kitties deserve to be loved, cuddled, and pampered, black cats are often overlooked by those looking to adopt a feline buddy. In this article from Arapahoe Animal Hospital, your local Boulder, CO vet serving Louisville and surrounding areas, a local vet discusses black cats.

Superstitions about black cats date back to the Middle Ages, when they became—quite unfairly—associated with witches and witchcraft. Although these old wives’ tales have no basis in fact, black kitties have dealt with quite a bit of bad publicity because of them. It doesn’t help that even now, Halloween decorations link black felines to ghouls and witches. Sadly, this has made it very hard for black cats to get adopted. In fact, they often linger in shelters much longer than kitties of any other color or pattern. That’s why many shelters offer special prices for black cats on Black Cat Appreciation day.

Black cats aren’t considered unlucky in every culture. In fact, in Germany, for example, it’s actually considered good luck when one crosses your path. And in Japan, they are believed to help single ladies get more suitors. British sailors also felt that black kitties were particularly lucky.

Do you have a black kitty? Take a picture of Fluffy, and share it on social media on this day. Every little thing we can do to help our feline pals matters!

According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association, 22 different breeds can be solid black. The only one that is almost always black, however, is the Bombay. These miniature black panthers are very sweet and lovable, and love to play and cuddle. They’re also very smart, and can even learn cute tricks!

Most black cats aren’t actually black, but are in truth dark brown. If your furball is black, look at Fluffy when she is sleeping in the sun. You’ll notice that her fur is actually a dark mahogany color. Some black cats’ coats will also lighten up if they spend a lot of time in the sun. You may even start to see a bit of a pattern as your kitty’s fur gets lighter.

Please contact Arapahoe Animal Hospital, your Boulder, CO vet serving Louisville and surrounding areas, anytime. We’re here to help!