Pope Memorial Humane Society is offering a free adoption for all black and partially black cats

Friday the 13th is a lucky day for black cats

Fri, 01/13/2017 - 9:15am

Black cats always seem to get the short shrift. For centuries, people in the Middle Ages thought they were the companions and couriers of Satan or witches. According to American Folklore, they were a symbol of evil, and an omen of bad luck and that superstition has remained for some people even up to the present.

And then there are the cats who always seem to get overlooked for adoption. Statistics routinely show that black cats have a lower rate of adoption than any other type of cat. Whether it’s their coal black pigment that doesn’t provide enough interesting color or contrast, or their lingering supernatural reputation, they need a little spotlight now and then to show how beautiful they really are.

This Friday the 13th, Pope Memorial Humane Society of Knox County is offering the public a chance to check out their black and tuxedo (black and white) adult cats. For two days (Friday, Jan. 13 and Saturday, Jan. 14) all of the adoption fees for adult black and Tuxedo cats will be waived. That includes a $50 adoption fee and another $85 spay/neuter fee that the shelter will absorb, just so these cats can find a good, loving home.

Some of these cats were brought in as strays, some rescued from hoarders and some relinquished by their owners.

“Their sad stories stop when they get here,” said Anna Adams, Community Outreach and Events Coordinator. “We turn them into happy stories from the moment they arrive.”

She gave us a tour of the black and tuxedo cats awaiting adoption with a little insight into what makes them so unique.

Brody probably needs the most TLC. At eight years old, he has diabetes and is FIV-positive.

“It’s basically a form of feline HIV, but it’s not as scary as it sounds,” said Adams. “It’s not transferable to human beings and they can often live out their lives and have no symptoms or effects from FIV.” Brody began kneading and purring the moment we walked in. “He would be free to adopt beyond Friday the 13th, but he’s also eligible for a medical foster,” said Adams.

Apple is another mostly white tuxedo who needs an empathetic owner. “She’s about four or five and is very shy,” said Shelter Manager of Theresa Gargan. “She was taken out of a hoarding situation and had a bad eye, which got worse. By the time she got to us, we couldn’t save it and had to remove it. In the situation she was previously in, she relied on one person for her needs, but probably didn’t get a lot of attention. You can tell that she wants to have more affection from people.”

Gargan has seen a lot of black cats get passed by in her career.

“I think people come in and their eyes are naturally drawn to the calico or the tiger cat because their colors are more contrasted and interesting, but I love black cats,” she said. “You can’t go wrong with a black cat. They tend to be very loving and cuddly, a more laid back cat.”

Adams said, “We’ve got a few more Friday the 13ths coming up this year and we’ll make this special deal available for adult black cats and partially black to have their adoption fees waived. Like all of the cats we adopt out, these cats will be neutered and spayed and have all of their shots.”

Check out our small gallery for more information on each cat and visit the shelter in Thomaston on Friday and Saturday to see these sweet cats yourself. For more information on an adoption application visit: Adoption Page


Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com