This is Petra - a 4 month old kitten at the shelter were mom volunteers.
She is super sweet, kind of tiny and sooooo soft!!!
Our friend JaneA wrote a great article on Catster about an ASPCA study about length of stay in shelters and reasons for adoptions. But it turns out their "black is not an issue" statement is based on dogs....while we think black dogs languish in shelters too, a lot of them are labs which is one of the most popular breed of dogs in the US.
Mom has volunteered long enough to say that yes - black animals DO take longer to get adopted. Not always, but is there is a litter of multi-colored kittens and black kittens, the other colors go first.
If the ASPCA wants to do an accurate study, here is mom's idea: find some open admission shelters that will share their numbers. Take the total intake and separate out by color (most shelters now use software that will let you do this easily enough). Then figure out the percent - of the total animals coming in, what percent is what color. Of those animals, how many make it to the adoption floor? What is the length of stay? THEN tell us that black cats don't spend longer in shelters.
Of course, mom says she tells people to pick by personality (though she was thrilled one night when a family came in and said they wanted the "right" cat but wanted a black one).
I feel like maybe people pick kittens according to how they react to them. And probably the different color cats will be a first choice which is too bad. Maybe the shelters should be nicely colored ribbons around the necks of the black kitties. Take care.
ReplyDeleteWe have five black cats so we know how special they are. Thank you for coming to our Gotcha Day Party for Mamacita and Rosa!
ReplyDeletecats of wildcat woods
We love people who adopt black cats and older animals!
ReplyDeleteI keep saying it, but I love black cats. This is the first time in my life I don't have one.
ReplyDeleteI often find it strange when people adopt based on just breed or color without even making an effort to know the animal first.
ReplyDeleteI think your way of coming up with the right percentages is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteWe've volunteered at a no-kill shelter for many, many years, and we can say for sure that black kitties DO take much longer to be adopted...
ReplyDeletepetra....de best oh fishes two ewe on findin yur for evers home...tim & tom...yur mom bee rite...purrson al a tee...noe kitteh haz been az nice, ore az sweet... az sauce wuz....sure him had sum socks anda half milk mustache...but outta all de kittehs de food serviss purrrson haz ever known...him wuz de nicest !!! ( we love ewe sauce XXX )
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that black cats take longer to be adopted. Our household has had three black kitties (at a time!) and they've all been wonderful members of the family. We can't imagine why anyone would pass up a cat just because his or her coat is a superstitious color!
ReplyDeletePicture it: Adoption event this weekend. A couple stops by and mentions wanting a boy-kitten. The most adorable tuxie man-kitten, who happens to be the only boy-kitten in attendance, is calmly licking a lollipop in the lap of a volunteer. "I don't want a BLACK one!"
ReplyDeleteMiggy didn't want to live with her either. So there.
Oh you BEAUTIFUL baby! You are adorable and full of love and mischief!
ReplyDeleteIn the rescue I volunteer for, white cats go first, followed by orange. Next comes calico, then grey tabby, then tortie, then tuxedo, and then - FINALLY - black. People are missing out, 'cause black cats tend to be real entertainers. Not to mention the cool factor of having your very own house panther.
ReplyDeleteBlack cats will always die first in high kill shelters and always be slower to adopt in rescue - that's exactly how it is here and I don't see that changing anytime soon (sadly).
ReplyDeleteIt's so strange how that stupid old superstition can still seemingly be effecting people's pet choices. Who cares about color? It IS all about personality.
ReplyDeleteOh, Petra looks so sweet! I hope she finds a good home soon!
ReplyDeletePlay bows,
Zim
Petra looks so much like our angel sisters, Thelma and Twinkle. It gave Mom a little start when she saw this photo. If given the opportunity, our Mom will always adopt a black kitty. Wish the superstition surrounding them could be debunked. We LOVE black panther kitties. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
ReplyDelete