Black Cat Appreciation Day

My name is Maxwell, and I am a black cat.

I know it doesn't look like it, but at my genetic core, I am.
I'm a black cat with a dilute gene that makes the fur on my face and paws look grey.

And I'm a black cat with a temperature-sensitive albino gene, which is why I look cream where my body heat is over a certain temperature. That's because the albino gene blocks the color - but only where I'm warm (you can read all about it in our post "da boyz are albinos!" from last year).

But underneath it all, I'm a black cat.

My name is Allie, and I am a black cat.

Yes, I have a gorgeous coat of grey fur - but it's due to the same dilute gene that Maxwell has.  It lightens my black fur.

And the white on my face and paws is only there because the black is covered by a masking gene. It's called the Spotting gene, and it gives me that striking tuxedo pattern.

But at heart, this glam girl is a black kitty.

Meet Spider, a 1 year old girl waiting for
her very own forever family at Wayside Waifs

So we're expecting a bit of appreciation from our humans today: you see, it's  
Black Cat Appreciation Day.

This day was created because a disproportionate number of black cats go homeless and are euthanized in shelters across the U.S.  In fact, statistics show this occurs five times more frequently than any other color of cat!

And we'll bet you may not have known these cats are genetically well suited for pet ownership - and reputed to be far more congenial than cats of another color!


Sadly, superstition has a lot to do with these statistics. Black cats simply cannot seem to shake the stigma of being "bad luck." It's something they've been unfairly saddled with for too long.

So we're raising our voices 
to help bust this myth today.

Heidi, looking anxiously to see if the family who
just walked in might be the one for her at Wayside.

We'd like to share something with you that Dr. Temple Grandin wrote in her book Animals Make Us Human.

(In case you're unfamiliar with her work, Dr. Grandin has a Ph.D. in animal science and is a well respected consultant on animal behavior.)

According to Dr. Grandin, "black cats are friendlier than other cats, are better able to deal with crowding and urban life, and have greater aggregative tendencies".

(That's aggregative - not aggressive - which basically means they’re more inclined to live in groups of cats.)

She goes on to state that "black cats are more social overall, whether it’s with other cats or with humans."

Elegant Moon, a 3 year old girl
awaiting her heart match

But wait! These gorgeous house panthers have even more going for them!

Dr. Grandin quotes Stephen J. O’Brien (of the Feline genome Project) who believes the mutation that causes black fur might also make cats resistant to viruses in the HIV family.

So black cats are also healthier in some respects than other cats.

(- excerpted from Dr. Grandin's book,
Animals Make Us Human, pp. 77-78)

Right now there are almost 2 dozen black cats waiting for adoption at Allie's Alma Mater, Wayside Waifs.

And most of these little guys are kittens.

Take a look at these adorable faces, squee just a tiny bit, and stand with us today in busting the myths about black cats and in supporting their adoption!

Black cats make fantastic pets! Why, in Asia and the U.K., a black cat is generally considered lucky!

________
Sources:
Wikipedia
Temple Grandin's web site
7 Facts about Black Cats
Google Books: Animals Make Us Human