Data from the RSPCA shows they are three times more likely to be taken into their care.
Kristin Hawthorne reports.
Kristin Hawthorne reports.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Biggest number of cats we got are black and white. On average, if you compare it with other colours,
00:06they may stay another two or three weeks.
00:10Black cats have long been connected to myths and legends,
00:14often unfairly seen as omens of bad luck.
00:17But today, these age-old superstitions could be costing them loving homes.
00:22The RSPCA revealed that black cats are three times more likely to be taken into their care.
00:28At Cats Protection in Sittingbourne, staff are facing record high intakes of kittens.
00:33Been an absolute explosion. For instance, our maternity unit, we have 10 pens there.
00:40Normally, this time of the year, it's completely empty.
00:43But this year, we've still, even in January, we've still got six pens full up.
00:50Adrian told me he's been working here for 17 years, but in 2024,
00:54he's seen the highest amount of kittens coming into the centre.
00:57Amongst these kittens were black and black and white cats,
01:00which are often much harder to set up for adoption.
01:04Well, I think there's a number of reasons these days. I mean, superstition does play a role.
01:09I think also the mono-colour is an issue.
01:14People come and see lovely ginger and whites or tabbies and tortoise.
01:18But one of the biggest influences at the moment are online cats,
01:23particularly the designer cats, the Scottish Folds, which are all munchkins and,
01:30you know, one week and then it'll be the Savannahs, then it'll be the Bengals.
01:34So all of these factors contribute to making it harder to find home for black cats and black and
01:41white cats as well. But how many people have superstitions
01:45about these cats? I went to Rochester to find out.
01:49I, for me, a cat is a cat, no matter what colour they are.
01:54I know that they say that black cats are superstitious and things,
01:57but that makes me want a black cat more because it makes it unique to me, I suppose.
02:02But yeah, I have noticed there are more black cats at the place that I volunteer at.
02:06I would have any colour cat, black or, you know, I've got no superstitions about them at all.
02:12No, I mean, I've heard of the black cat superstition, but generally speaking,
02:16I'm not someone who has any superstitions at all.
02:19I think you probably do find that with a black cat, you would kind of like think,
02:24oh, is my day going to be a good day if it runs across your path?
02:27So whether they bring luck, love or lots of purrs,
02:30these cats definitely have a lot to offer. Kristen Hawthorne for CAMtv in Settingbourne.
02:37Lucy, you got anything to say?