No Good Luck for Black Cats as new Data Suggests They are not as Popular and Slower to be Adopted

This Black Cat Appreciation Day, 17th of August 2022 the RSPCA showcases the plight of black cats and urges potential cat adopters to give them a second look

New RSPCA figures suggest that black cats may be amongst the UK’s least popular type of feline, as the numbers arriving at the animal charity’s rescue centres are disproportionately high compared to other cats, and they take a longer time to be adopted.

Marking Black Cat Appreciation Day (17 August), new data from the RSPCA reveals their plight, revealing that almost twice as many black cats were taken into rescue centres (1,026) compared to tabby cats (551) in 2020. Only black and white cats scored higher. It also took longer for black cats to be adopted, with an average of nearly 35 days for a black cat to find his or her forever home, compared to around 28 days for a tabby cat.

Black cats are often associated with superstitions and some people believe they don’t look good in photos which sadly means it can take longer for a black cat in a rescue centre to find a home.

Dr Jane Tyson, scientific officer for the RSPCA’s companion animals department, said: “It is a sad fact that black cats really don’t have much luck because we see more of them coming through our doors than any other colour of cat, other than black and white cats, possibly because they are much more common.

“Other cats, such as tabbies, have distinctive markings making them look more attractive to some but we would urge people to look beyond what an animal looks like. Their fur colour makes no difference to how much love they have to give.

“Black cats won’t bring you good luck or bad luck but they do need forever homes. If you can bring some magic into their lives they are sure to bring some love into yours.”

Rehoming case studies:

Tiffany in Surrey: A two-year-old black domestic short-hair, Tiffany has been at RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre, Chobham since March 2021. She gave birth to some beautiful kittens shortly after arriving at the centre. The youngsters have now found their new homes and it is now time for Tiffany to find a home for herself.

Tiffany came from a home with far too many cats and she has not had the crucial socialisation that she needed and is therefore a little worried around people – she needs a very patient and understanding new family. She will hiss and will have the occasional swipe but, we think with patience and time, she will turn into a very loving family cat and think she could live with secondary school age children.

She is a carrier of cat flu which is very common from a multi-cat household so future adopters should read up on cat flu and be aware that she may get future flare-ups of this and may require some eye drops or antibiotics. Stress is also a trigger, so for this reason she can’t live with other cats or a dog.

‘Bear’ in West Yorkshire is an affectionate, loving short-haired domestic black cat with lots of expressions!

When he first arrived at the Leeds, Wakefield & District Branch Animal Centre he was a little bit shy, but with lots of patience from the volunteers and team, he soon came out of his shell. He is very loveable, fun, cheeky and charming and has his own funny way of asking for attention, by nudging you with his head! He loves a bit of attention on the sofa and will lay his head on your lap and purr happily.

He is looking for a quiet home with a patient, experienced family that can understand that he will need extra time to settle in. He will be a bit unsure at first, but given time, his confidence will soon shine through!

For details of more black (and other) cats that are looking for forever homes, please visit rspca.org.uk/findapet

To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care please visit our website or call our donation line on 0300 123 8181.

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