Should selfies determine if you get a pet?
In Britain, a troubling trend is emerging: people are saying no to black cats because they don’t think they look good in selfies.
Cat rehoming centers are chock full of black cats especially. One such center is currently looking for new forever homes for 40 black cats, and they haven’t any cats of any other color or pattern.
“It happens all the time,” said Christine Bayka, who owns a cat rehoming center, “I will go through all the questions and say ‘are you flexible about color?’ Then they will say, ‘yes, as long as it’s not black.’”
Bayka is trying to convince pet owners to neuter their black cats in February since kitten season starts in April. This, she hopes, will decrease the number of unwanted black cats. According to the RSPCA, it can take an average of 30+ days to rehome a black cat–or a black and white cat. A ginger cat takes an average of only 20 days to rehome.
Like Bayka, the RSPCA sees more black cats come through its doors than any other color cat–in 2014, 70% of the cats they took in were black or black and white.
Dr. Jane Tyson of the RSPCA said, “Their fur color 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.”
According to Claire Sparkes, the general manager of Gables Far Dogs and Cats Home in Plymouth, Devon, UK, this problem is being exacerbated by “Instagram culture,” which is driving people to seek out the more “posh pedigrees.” The reason for this is that black cats’ facial expressions don’t show up as well on a phone as other cats’ faces do.
Another part of the problem is that black cats often lack distinctive markings, so when they come to a shelter, it’s hard to reunite them with their original owners if they’re not microchipped.
Bottom line? Black cats are just as loving as any other cats. Get your cat neutered, and consider microchipping your pet.
Source: Yahoo
Images source: Pixabay
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