Is cat color preference partly based on unconscious, deep-rooted racism? Is racism a form of tribalism? Humans are essentially tribal because we struggle to live alone and therefore we must live in a group of like-minded people and support each other. This is a survival technique. If a person does not conform they can be criticized, bullied and mocked because their nonconformity puts them outside the tribe which destabilizes it, which ultimately threatens survival. People who are considered outsiders threaten the establishment and the establishment squashes them accordingly.
Important note: I have to stress that this is a discussion article. I am making no statements. There are no hard facts in this article other than what is openly known. It all came out of my head so there are no sources. It is obviously a sensitive subject and I’m trying to address it as sensitively as possible. It is, for me, a very interesting subject and that is why I have written about it.
So it could be that racism is linked up with tribalism. Racism is certainly deep rooted and often people are unconsciously racist despite using their best efforts to be completely unbiased and nonracist. Even the best people struggle with racism. That is an argument not a fact. I am not stating a fact. I am really asking questions.
For the sake of the argument in this article, I would like to make the presumption that the vast majority of people, perhaps all people are racist in varying degrees. Sometimes it will be a very faint vestigial version of racism and other times it will be overt and shocking.
Racism seems to brand people by colour. So whites are racist against blacks and blacks are racist against whites and Pakistanis is a racist against whites and whites are racist against Pakistanis and so on. Years ago, I remember clearly having an argument with a Pakistani taxi driver on the telephone. He wanted cash payment and I wanted to provide him with a cheque (check) and when he refused I suggested that he wasn’t paying tax properly. Predictably this resulted in an argument which turned into a racist argument and he kept calling me “milky white”. He had introduced colour into the argument.
We know that some cat colours are more popular than others. White domestic cats are popular, particularly for the Persian pedigree cat. Calico cats are popular particularly when there is lots of white and blobs of colour as favoured by the Japanese in respect of the Japanese Bobtailed cat.
We know that the least popular cat coat at shelters is probably black and the next least popular is probably the brown tabby. It seems, therefore, that we have a polarisation of two extremes in respect of coat colour. At one end we have lightness and light colours and at the other end we have dark colours. It seems quite possible that these likes and dislikes in respect of the colour of the coat of a domestic cat is in part, at least, an expression of unconscious racism.
It is interesting to note that when it comes to inanimate objects such as the car and technical, electronic devices, black is popular. In fact both white and black, the 2 extremes are popular in respect of inanimate objects. This may, or may not be significant. I have no idea. It may be that the colour black signifies “function” and “functionality” while white is all about aesthetic appeal and appearance. I wonder whether we have another version of racism here as well. Functionality indicates that the device needs to work for the owner. It needs to work faultlessly and a black object may give that impression more than a white inanimate object. Is there a hint of the old black slave trade in this model?
With respect to wild cat species back connotes sinister and dangerous. The typical example is the melanistic black jaguar or leopard. As I recall, certain groups of people, perhaps tribes of people, living in South America worshipped the black jaguar and probably sought to kill it and wear its skin so that they could inherit some of its perceived superpowers.
In a recent study, it was found that white people behaved more aggressively after playing video games in which their on-screen avatar was black. In other words when they were playing a video game and they took on the character of a black person they behaved more aggressively. This indicated an unconscious racism that connected the harmful stereotype that blacks are violent.
Perhaps this is another reason why the black domestic cat is the most unpopular colour. Not only is there a hidden and unconscious racism in play, people might believe that the black cat is sinister, dangerous and violent even though that would be illogical at a conscious level.
Associated post: Black people like cats less than white people.
I have just adopted 3 more cats from a very sad situation – sight unseen as usual! The intention was to foster them and then put them on the adoption list at the shelter, but because one is black and is inseparable from his tabby brother, they are staying with me (avoiding black cat syndrome). The third is white with black splashes. All totally traumatised, but now safe and spoiled.
You’re a good woman, Sarah. Phew, that is a big adoption though. I am not sure I could have done that. Perhaps if I was living in the country with nice walled garden I would. I am thinking about that actually.
These cats have never been outside the flat where they lived with the elderly owner. All boys and they weren’t neutered either.
How are they finding things? Are they particularly nervous and fearful? They have had a strange life.
They were very scared at first and traumatised by the whole catching and caging process. They are settling now and love catnip. I sleep in their room for half the night so they are getting used to me. Once the 3rd one is microchipped (this week) and I install a screen at the top of the stairs, I can start extending their territory to the rest of upstairs.
Great stuff. They don’t know who they have as a caretaker/guardian.
So wonderful of you, Sarah.
You’ve just blown your commandment of “older cats only” apart.
But, they wouldn’t be with you if it wasn’t meant to be so.
Cats come to Sarah. That is probably what happens to you too.
“Cats happen”
Black is an ugly looking colour because it doesn’t radiate light and stimulate the eyes.
When it comes to colour in people though, it reflects the amount of melanin in the body, and how well adapted it’s to a particular climate. I think this is the main reason why people have a social preference towards certain skin tones depending upon the region.
Good point but I am not sure people appreciate skin tone in reference to the region. Also black cars and black cameras are popular. Why do people like black devices but not black cats?
Hi Michael,
I know you are asking a question and not stating a fact or point of view, but is there anything we can say or do these days without it being condemned as racist?
I know a lot (or at least some) people reject black cats, but that is due to stupid superstition rather than racism. I could be the most racist white person alive and yet have a black cat.
My cat is a black and white moo cat, I don’t know what that says 🙂
Today I am wearing a blue shirt instead of a white one, a clear indication of my hatred of people of European descent. 🙂
LOL. I like your comment, Larry. Yes, I am engaging in pure speculation just to challenge and explore opinion which I like to do because a lot of what is written about on the Internet is repetitious.
I agree that we can’t say anything, almost, without being criticised for not being sufficiently politically correct. We certainly can’t talk about Muslims and Pakistanis in a critical manner and neither can we talk about immigrants coming into the UK in a critical way otherwise we are branded racist.
I have no idea whether the lack of popularity of the black cat is due to unconscious racism. If it is then it is deeply embedded in our subconscious such that we do not realise it. I think that is the point I’m making. That it is inherent within us, hardwired and part of our DNA because I believe that all people are tribal by nature even when we are supposedly civilised.