No animal in the feline kingdom gets a bad rap than black cats. They’re said to be symbols of bad luck, while other people believe that black cats are outright evil. But is all this true about black cats, or do they just get a bad name for no reason?
Black cats are actually considered to be symbols of good luck in many places. This busts the common myth that black cats bring bad luck. Black is also the most common cat color, and black cats even have their own special day, but that’s not all there is about black cats. Let’s check out 17 surprising facts about black cats.
17. Black Cats Symbolize Good Luck
Contrary to popular belief, black cats are not harbingers of bad luck. Instead, they are considered to be symbols of good luck in many countries. For instance, in England, brides were given black cats as wedding presents to bring good luck.
In Japan, it is believed that black cats help single women attract suitors. Black cats are also considered to be lucky charms in many other cultures, including Scotland, France, Italy, and Asia.
16. Black Cats Have Their Own Special Day
Yes, black cats have their own special day, which is known as Black Cat Appreciation Day. It is celebrated on August 17th in the United States.
Considering the amount of negative attention that black cats get, this special day is celebrated in order to spread awareness about black cats, boost their adoption rate, and get rid of the negative attitude many people have towards black cats.
15. A Black Cat Will Give Birth To Black Male Kittens
All male kittens born to a black queen will also be black in color. This is because the gene responsible for the coat color of male kittens comes from their mother.
This also explains why there are more male black cats than females. Female cats get the gene responsible for color from both parents, so their coat color will depend on the color of the father and the mother.
14. The Richest Cat In The World Is A Black Cat
The richest cat recognized by the Guinness World Records is a black cat named Blackie, who was worth a whopping $12.5 million. How did a cat amass such wealth?
Blackie was the favorite pet of Ben Rhea, a British antiques dealer and recluse. Following Rhea’s demise in 1988, Blackie inherited a huge portion of Rhea’s wealth, making Blackie the richest cat to have ever lived.
13. Black Cats Are Considered Royalty In Egypt
One of the official deities from the 22nd Dynasty was a woman named Bust, who was depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics having a black cat’s head.
Because of this, ancient Egyptians considered black cats to be royalty. They believed that the spirit of Bast lived on in black cats and would bring good luck to anyone who adopted a black cat. To this day, black cats are still very popular in Egypt.
12. Shelters Don’t Allow Adoption Of Black Cats In October
Due to the erroneous belief that black cats have mystical powers, these amazing creatures are at unusually high risk in October. This is because there is a high chance of some people using them for cultist rituals during Halloween.
To prevent black cats from being used and harmed during such rituals, most shelters do not allow people to adopt black cats in the month of October.
11. Black Cats Are Difficult To Photograph
While their dark coats and golden colored eyes make these felines strikingly beautiful, the dark color also means that taking a good picture of your black cat is not going to be a walk in the park.
If you love Instagram, you’ll have to work harder to show flattering photos of your kitty. It also means that you should not let lackluster pictures of black cats on shelter websites put you off.
10. Black Cats Were A Sailor’s Companion
Black cats have always been popular among sailors. Apart from their help with controlling rats on ships, sailors also considered black cuts to be lucky talismans who increased the chances of a ship having a safe trip.
A good example of a seafaring cat is Blackie, who sailed on the HMS Prince of Wales during World War II. Blackie was even invited to a meet and greet with Winston Churchill.
9. There’s A Café Dedicated To Black Cats
As a black cat lover, how would you love to enjoy your coffee surrounded by black cats? Well, in Japan, there is a café that is dedicated to black cats near Himeji Station.
The café is home to several black cats, and patrons are allowed to pet, play around with, and pamper the black felines. The only restriction is not to wake the cats when they’re napping and not to pick them up.
8. Black Cats Will Turn Gray As They Age
Have you noticed how people’s hair turns gray as they grow older? The same happens to cats as well. However, this graying is more noticeable among black cats due to their originally dark coat, giving these cats a salt and pepper look.
It will also happen in other cats, but noticing gray hairs is more difficult if the cat was originally white, gray, or even brown.
7. Black Cats’ Coats Can Rust
While black cats are born with a solid black coat, continued exposure to the sun causes the black pigment in their coat to break down. With time, this breakdown of the black pigment causes some of their fur to change color, giving the feline a rusty brown coat.
This process is known as rusting, and gives older black cats a distinguished look. However, that rusting can also be caused by deficient nutrition.
6. Black Cats Are More Resistant To Diseases
The same gene that is responsible for the solid black coat has been found to be the same gene that makes humans resistant to diseases like HIV. As a result, scientists believe that black cats could be more resistant to diseases than other cats.
Scientists are even hoping that advanced mapping the genome that gives black cats their dark coat could lead us closer to getting a cure for HIV.
5. Black Cats Have Golden Eyes
You might not have noticed it, but most black cats also have yellow or golden eyes. The reason these cats have solid black coats is because they produce a lot of melanin. These high levels of melanin are what make the irises of black cats yellow or golden.
Fortunately, the golden eye color against a jet black coat makes these felines look so beautiful, which is part of the reason their owners adore them.
4. Black Cats Are More Likely To Be Adopted
A lot of people believe that black cats are less likely to find an adopter. However, available data shows otherwise. According to the ASPCA, 31% of all adopted cats are black, compared to 18% for brown cats and 20% for gray cats.
However, this can be attributed to the fact that there are more black cats than other colors. This means that they’re also the majority in shelters.
3. Black Is The Most Common Cat Color
Black cats appear to be very rare, but in fact, black is the most common color among cats. This is due to the fact that black is a dominant gene. This means that even if one only one of the parents is black, there is a high chance that the kittens will be black.
However, black cats seem to be rare because their dark color makes them harder to spot.
2. Only One Cat Breed Is Exclusively Black
While there are 22 breeds that have solid black as one of their coat colors, only one cat breed comes in no other color but solid black. The only exclusively black cat breed is the Bombay cat.
This breed was developed by Niki Horner, who was trying to create a breed with a great resemblance to the black panther. The Bombay cat is known for its jet black coat and copper eyes.
1. Black Cats Are Not A Breed
Unlike what a lot of people believe, black cats are not a specific breed. Instead, a solid black coat can appear in a variety of cat breeds.
There are 22 different cat breeds that are recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association for having a solid black as one of their official coat colors. Examples of such breeds include the Scottish Fold, the Japanese Bobtail, and the Norwegian Forest Cat.
Related Questions
Do Cats Have Healing Powers? Research shows that a cat’s purr can trigger the release of endorphins in humans, which can help people cope with illness, reduce blood pressure, and encourage healing. The frequency of a cat’s purr has also been shown to reduce stress and trigger muscle and tissue healing and repair, as well as strengthening and regeneration of bones.
What Purpose Do Cats Serve? Having cats in your home has several benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, better physical wellbeing, reduced risk of heart disease, and better sleep. Cats also provide friendship and companionship, and as an added advantage, they’ll help keep your home free of rodents and other vermin.
Are Cats Evil? Despite the common belief that cats are evil, this is not true. Cats are amazing, loving animals that can be a great source of joy and companionship. Cats’ high level of aloofness, independence and difficult-to-please nature is part of what gives the perception that they are evil.
