Here’s Why You Should Own a Black Cat

I know what you’re probably thinking, “A black cat?! Won’t they bring me bad luck? Am I witch?” Well, I’m here to tell you that in fact they do not bring bad luck (some believe they bring good fortune) and no, I’m not a witch. 

We first rescued our eldest girl, Striker, in the Summer of 2013. A tornado ripped it’s way through the St. Louis area and poor little Striker was separated from her mommy and siblings. Meowing under the rubbish of a broken patio, a friend’s boyfriend brought her home. She was only three weeks old at the time and we took her home a week later. She became Chris and I’s first fur baby together (I’ve been a cat owner all my life) and she was so young that we had to bottle feed her. We had a few friends make some comments about being careful because she’s a black cat and, “they bring bad luck,” but we haven’t had anything less than multitudes of joy since she entered our lives.

Our home is also filled with three other cats: Laci the 13-year-old overweight senior citizen (and one of my childhood cats), Smokey our only boy that is a month younger than Striker, and Hermione who we found modeling in a cat fashion show. In a household of four cats, we have every cat personality imaginable under our roof, but Striker is different. It’s like a human reincarnated in a body with four legs, squishy paws, long whiskers, and a tail. She’s incredibly intuitive to our emotions and is quite the scholar.

Of course we all love our cats the same, but the reason Striker gets a stand-alone blog post is this: black cats are one of the least likely to be adopted.

I already have a hard enough time hearing about the statistics on the number of cats and dogs each year that get euthanized, so when I thought about all the other Strikers who didn’t get a chance, I cried. Even as I type this paragraph, I feel tears making a home in my eyes.

You say bad omen, they say good.

I have no idea where the fabrication of black cats carrying bad luck came from, but what I do know is that many cultures found the dark creatures prosperous. It’s no secret that the Egyptians worshiped cats, but it was thought that owning a black cat brought the most luck. In England, a bride won’t be surprised if she was gifted a black cat as a way to deliver positive vibes for her marriage. Cat cafes are booming in Japan, and one opened up specially filled with these dark felines.

They make the perfect accessory for the fashionistas.

As you may have guessed, I’m no stranger to choking on cat hair and finding tumbleweed-like balls rolling around my floor (trust me, four cats is worth it). Laci and Smokey are a rich grey while Hermione is a multitude of browns and nudes. When either of those three shed, it often appears white… and on my clothes. Does Striker shed? Most likely, but I will never know because her hair never shows up on my dark articles of clothing. The only proof we might have of her shedding is on the cat tower and that is it’s own disaster to fix another day. The dark fur could always be Hermione’s, the world may never know. The point is, if you’re tired of having to buy twenty sticky fabric rollers a month, you can save a pretty penny with a black cat.

If you like a little adventure and fear in your life, get a black cat.

I often wake up to leave for work at four in the morning when the world all around me is still and sleeping. No matter the time of day, all of my cats scuttle from their hiding quarters to say goodbye at the door. One of the first ones up is Striker and if the lighting is just right, all you see are her glowing eyes. I tend to leave all but a few lights off to not disturb my sleeping husband.  If I’m still in the state of waking up my brain, Striker’s sudden appearance in the bathtub while brushing my teeth makes me jump as much as I would during any horror flick. Not to mention, she is the quietest cat I have ever met in my 24 years on this Earth.

Because who doesn’t want a mini Panther for a pet?

Silliness aside, if there is anything I want you to take away from this post, it’s this: stop the stigma of misfortune from black cats. Of course I believe all cats deserve a home no matter the color of their fur, but some need just a little more support to be equally considered a home. I can give you my seal of approval and 10/10 rating of black cats.

-B

*Author’s Note: All photos are of my baby girl Striker over the years. Enjoy that cute little button nose that’s good for kisses and those piercing green eyes.