One of the symbols of Halloween is the black cat. Did you know that people are still superstitious about black cats? I learned that when I was going to the Martinez Animal Shelter for my Pet of the Week article. According to the cat volunteers at the shelter, black cats are the hardest cats to adopt.
According to the American Heritage online dictionary, a superstition is “A belief, practice, or rite irrationally maintained by ignorance of the laws of nature or by faith in magic or chance.” From my own experience I can say, anyone who is superstitious about black cats is ignorant about them. Let me tell you why.
I own a black cat and he has changed my life for the better. Black cats have the best personalities. My cat, Sparky is a good example. He is very vocal and responds when I talk to him, which is so charming! To wake me up in the morning he pushes on my nose with his paw. How did he learn that! Kitten school? He is the most adorable cat I have ever met!
Sparky’s black coat is so shiny and soft. He is beautiful, and I tell him that a lot. He has big green eyes that are stunning against his black fur. He has so many expressions that he makes me laugh all the time. I love him so much that I make up songs for him. One is a barber shop type song , some of the words are: “He’s climbing up the curtains/He’s doing back flips off the blinds – oh my!/But when I come home to see his green eyes shine/I know my love for him is blind/That’s Sparks-o-mine.” Silly isn’t it? I told my friend about these songs and she said, “Marlene, that’s the music of your soul!” My eyes welled up and I realized that the way I feel isn’t silly. I love Sparky, and the life he has brought to my life.
I think love is one of the most important things for us to experience in life. I often think about what my life was like before Sparky, because he reminds me everyday. When I look down on the carpet, it’s not just my footprints anymore, but his footprints are there next to mine. And his paw prints are close to the edge of the wall, in a space where there doesn’t look like there’s room for anything, but there is. He did the same thing to my heart. I didn’t know there was room in my heart to love this beautiful black cat, but there is.
Animals bring out our ability to love. The animals in the shelters need our love. The color of their fur does not define them. They just want to live a happy life and bring their joy in your world. That’s what my cat did. It’s time to end the ignorance that is the basis for black cats being the hardest cats to adopt. Stand up to people who talk badly of black cats. Point out that a superstition is based on ignorance. Educate them about these sweet, loving cats, and trust the light you see in the life of these animals.
At PetCo in Martinez there’s a bumper sticker that reads, “Who rescued who?” I think my black cat rescued me, and has surrounded my carpet and my heart with his tiny paw prints. Now I sing his praises in words and song, and write about how wonderful he is. I’ll never be the same.
Do you have a black cat? What can you say in praise of black cats?
