Did you know that black cats in rescues are often the last
to be homed? Some never find a forever home.
Why? I don’t get it.
Gizmo – or Gizzie the Mo – or Gizzie - or Mo – grew up to be the most
beautiful cat. He would lie in your arms like a baby and he used to talk –
chitter and squawk – standing up on his back legs and stretching up his arms.
He used to frighten me to death, chirruping at me from the
roof of the house!
Six years ago at the age of fourteen, he died in his
sleep. He’d shown no signs of illness at all.
Funny, lovely, crazy little puss!
What’s not to love?
You can read more about the difficulty of rehoming black
cats at Catchat.
And this one isn't totally black, but he's beautiful - Huggy - our feral cat from many years ago. Kitten without a clue. Didn't even know how to wash himself until my lovely ginger cat, Leo, taught him how. He came to us infested with worms and fleas and was a bit whiffy, but he grew into a huge, cuddly cat. He certainly lived up to his name!
It must be the connotations of witches' familiars, perhaps! We have lots of neighbouring cats around here and there is a lovely big black cat who has a much nicer nature than some of the others.
ReplyDeleteYes I think that's what it is, Rosemary. Your neighbourhood black cat sounds lovely :-) x
DeleteWe have a black cat, Harry, a stray who muscled his way into our home and hearts in exchange for his... well, cat man-bits! Earlier this year he was on his daily stroll when he was hit by a car. His pelvis was fractured in several places. Thankfully, he recovered after spending two months in a dog crate and is back to his normal, dribbly self.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been awful - but it is amazing how often they recover from something like that. It must have felt like a very long two months for you and Harry though! He sounds lovely - especially as he chose you! (and I'm sure he felt his man-bits were fair exchange for a loving home) x
DeleteWe used to have two pitch black rescue cats, I wouldn't have wanted any other sort!
ReplyDeleteThat's nice to hear Jenny x
DeleteThat cat looks black to me, Teresa! We had a lovely blac cat. The best we've ever had, lured in from the wild with bacon rinds on the end of a broom handle.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Frances, but I think the ones they have difficulty homing are the completely black ones. At least I think that's the way it happens - perhaps I should edit this post! I love the idea of you tempting a cat with bacon rinds :-) x
DeleteI thought it was lucky if a black cat crossed your path. We used to have one called Darkie and he was gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting how many stray cats 'adopt' us? x
Me too, Rena - lucky, that's what I've always thought x
DeleteWhat beautiful cats, Teresa.
ReplyDeleteWe've had two black ones. Apparently, there's always at least the tiniest fleck of white on a black cat, but I never found it on ours.
Yes I'd heard that too, Joanna. Our first black cat, Star had a tiny white star on his chest which gradually disappeared. I searched for white fur on Gizzie, but never found one! x
DeleteLovely cat pics, Teresa! Wanted to say, as well: really glad Indy seems to be doing so well with the treatment.x
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lydia - another glucose curve coming up for him this weekend and we'll find out how well - or not - he's doing on the new insulin dose x
DeleteHi Teresa,
ReplyDeleteYes, you bring up a most perplexing statistic in regards to black cats. As you know all too well, black cats are just as loving as any other. I'm going to forward this posting to a good friend of mine who contends with this situation, on a regular basis. She fosters cats. She will so relate to this.
In peace, Gary x
Thank you, Gary! x
Delete...and I am that "good friend" Gary speaks of :) Hi, Teresa! I fight the good fight for these black beauties - they are treasures that many just aren't aware of, or are blinded by myths and superstitions.
ReplyDeleteGizzie sounds like a true testament to the awesome nature of black cats. And Huggy? Some feral! LOL Love those tuxedos, too. Black rocks. You know The Secret, my friend!
Yay, it's my good friend, Kim Thomas! :) My good friend, Teresa and my good friend, Kim, are like well awesome!
DeleteDo I like get bonus points for this? LOL
Thanks, Kim :-) Oh yes, treasures, they certainly are. I wonder if I could persuade Indy that a kitty companion or two would be a good idea. It is a while since he lived with cats, so I'm not sure. Gizzie used to lie on his back in the armchair and catch the dogs' tails in his paws as they passed, then when they turned round he'd look all big eyed and innocent :-) x
DeleteDefinitely bonus points for you Gary x
DeleteBlack is beautiful! I seem to think that black dogs have similar problems finding new homes.
ReplyDeleteIt's madness isn't it, Joanne. The first dog I ever had of my own (rather than being the family dog) was black. He was great :-) x
DeleteLovely pictures Teresa. We have a black and white cat that was on our shed roof peering at me on our garden bench the other day, he almost made me drop the youghurt I was eating. Also there's a big fat grey one. They prowl around, so we shouldn't have any mice or rats with them keeping watch.
ReplyDeleteCats seem to love sitting on top of sheds, Sue :-) x
DeleteLovely black cat pictures, Teresa, thank you for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteA neighbour had two cats that were predominantly black, and they were lovely, sadly only one is now still going- but very slowly now.
Aw it's sad when they start to slow down, Carol. Our last cat stopped going out at all for the last year of his life x
DeleteI have had three cats, all have been black, and all were rescue cats. I don't have one at the moment, but I'd definitely home another beautiful black cat...
ReplyDeletePerhaps I am a witch!
That's lovely, Maria. I'm loving all these positive black cat comments :-) x
DeleteAwwww beautiful Gizmo and adorable Huggy!! They are such wonderful characters and utterly amazing!! It's so sad how black kitties take longer to be adopted! My first all black kitty, Happy was such dear - a larger than life happy kitty. I miss him so much!
ReplyDeleteTake care
x
What a lovely name for a cat - Happy! x
DeleteI didn't know it was harder to find homes for black cats and can't understand why. (My favourite colour for a cat is just like Huggy. )
ReplyDeleteNo I don't understand it either, Patsy x
DeleteOh, got distracted by the pictures ... I came over to say there's an award for you on my blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you :-) x
DeleteHi,I didn't know that fact about black cats but it does seem a shame! Have been catching up with your blog Teresa - Have spent two weeks looking after my grandchildren and my mother-in-law and keeping an eye on Theo, my nephew's Old English Sheep Dog for whom I had to rescue and organise a foster home. He was badly matted, traumatised, had an awful abscess on his underside and had to be shaved and neutered but is recovering well. He is living the life of Riley on a farm at the moment until my nephew is better placed to care for him (if ever.) I wonder if the wonderful lady who has him has any room for black cats? :-)
ReplyDeletePoor Theo! But he sounds as if he's having a good time now - I think any dog would love to live on a farm!
DeleteYou've been busy! x