Free Black Cats Event Causes Uproar

By Elisa Black-Taylor

A free black cats event at a fall festival has caused an uproar in the cat world. Most cat lovers know the risks involved when a black cat is adopted out near Halloween. Many shelters and rescues refuse to adopt out black cats during the entire month of October. Those who do must use extra caution to ensure the safety of the cat.

There will be a discussion after this article. Here’s what happened.

Barrington Animal Control in Barrington, Rhode Island hosted a black cat adoption even on October 13 at the Pumpkin Junction fall festival. Black cats were offered free of charge to anyone interested.

Flyer from Pumpkin Junction event
Flyer from Pumpkin Junction event
Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

This drew criticism from area shelters and rescues. Cat Adoption Team Services representative Rita Falaguerra said that the event “shows a blatant disregard for the welfare of animals.”

Four black cats were adopted out during the event on October 13.

In 2007, National Geographic did an article entitled Ritual Cat Sacrifices A Halloween Myth. This article describes an event that took place the day after Halloween in 2004 when Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center found a black cat taped to an 8-foot tall crucifix. It turned out this wasn’t a case of ritual sacrifice, but a teen who did it for shock effect.

There are many out there who don’t believe it’s dangerous for a black cat to be adopted out close to Halloween. Animal shelters and adoption agencies should have the intelligence to weed out cults or abusers who would endanger the cat. In fact, many believe there’s a great risk of death at a shelter of a black cat being euthanised for lack of a home than there is of a black cat being sacrificed.

I had a friend contact me after I wrote an article a few years back about satanic cults and cats where I was informed true satanists don’t sacrifice cats. I can only tell you from my experience that someone DOES sacrifice cats. I attended a church back in the early 1980’s. It was a Church of God and the preacher was brave enough to go to an area where rituals were common. Bones were found of small animals. On a few occasions this preacher managed to run off those in the group.

This may not have been a true satanic ceremony. There have always been misguided teens (as well as other age groups) who like to think of themselves as satanists. There are also budding psychopaths who like to torture animals in a group setting. Either of these are a threat to black cats. So religious practices involving black cats may have nothing to do with it. There are also plenty of movies that glorify the harming of animals.

Personally I believe a black cat is in more danger from teens than cults. This article I wrote for pictures-of-cats goes into more detail on this topic: A new breed of Halloween cat killer.

The possibility of someone adopting a black cat around Halloween and being cruel to or killing the cat is a real concern to cat lovers. So is the alternative of hoping a good home can be found for a black cat in October. That the cat isn’t euthanised for lack of shelter space.

Readers, what do you think should be the standard in October black cat adoption? Should they be offered for adoption at all? Or should the cat adoption agencies just be more vigilant?

Your comments are needed as Halloween approaches.

Elisa

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2 thoughts on “Free Black Cats Event Causes Uproar”

  1. I think better safe than sorry. There’s plenty of cats to adopt. It is sad that black cats are the hardest to adopt though. This halloween thing is a real paradox situation for black cats. I have a black cat and she is great, healthy and has a wonderful character 🙂

    Reply
  2. There is no doubt that there are satanic or black magic cults who have meetings etc. And I agree that black cats are in danger. However, I don’t think the black cat is in big danger from these people.

    That said I am not sure why they had to promote black cat adoption around the time of Halloween. They could do that anytime. The advert is based on good luck etc so the advert is using the Halloween period to promote adoptions. That does seem irresponsible to me.

    It may be though that the idea of promoting adoptions of black cats at this time of year is successful as it is the time when black cats are highlighted.

    Provided Barrington Animal Control are sensible in selecting people it might be OK.

    Conclusion: On balance it is probably not a good idea.

    Reply

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