There are plenty of old superstitions around the world about seeing black cats, ranging from the sight of a black cat being a warning of bad luck to its being a promise of good. Those differing ideas might be what inspired one of the most famous black cat stories of recent years, in which a black cat comes to a family as a very great blessing indeed. But what about black cats being in greater danger at Halloween?
There is widespread concern that black cats may be victimized by malicious persons who either think they can work magic by harming black cats, or who are such real-life monsters that they think it would be fun to hurt a black cat “in the spirit of the season.” This causes some to keep their black cats locked away in the house as the days grow shorter and the months grow colder.
Sarah Craig, CVT, of Willamette Veterinary Hospital, wrote a paper in which she learned that not only black cats but also dark tortoiseshell cats fall under what she called a lamentable “cat racism” in Western culture.
It’s been widely believed for many years that black cats are especially in danger at Halloween time, and this article was begun in part as one of the annual warnings to keep close watch if you have a black or mostly-black cat, lest some malicious person commit some act of abuse or ritual torment.
In fact, there is no statistical reason to worry. Unfortunately, animal abuse takes place at all times of the year. And while a black cat being shot on Halloween may get more press coverage than a calico fed poisoned food on Valentine’s Day or a marmalade tabby kicked in the ribs on the Eleventh of April, it’s actually – and sadly – no more common.
Conclusion: black cats being abused on Halloween are just as mythical as witches who worship Satan and mean old people who give out apples with razor blades in them. Nothing more than one more scary Halloween story, and we can all be grateful for that.
By John M. Burt
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