CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — October is designated as Black Cat Awareness Month, yet many rescues and shelters refrain from adopting out black cats until November. Network for Animals notes that black cats represent a significant proportion of those in rescue facilities, often associated with superstitions that date back to Medieval France and Spain, where they were viewed as omens of bad luck and linked to witchcraft.
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While some concerns suggest that black cats may be harmed or sacrificed during the days leading up to Halloween, organizations like the Humane Society and Operation Kindness actively dispel these myths. A study by National Geographic, involving experts in cults, animal welfare, and Halloween, concluded that there are no verified statistics or studies supporting claims of cult-related crimes against black cats.
Despite the lack of evidence for such claims, many shelters across the country, including those in West Virginia, are halting black cat adoptions for the month. Mountain Cats TNR in Jefferson County announced on Facebook a pause in black cat adoptions until after Halloween, stating, "To us, black cats are good luck, but to other misguided individuals, they are treated very poorly, especially around this time of year."
Other shelters, like the Community Humane Shelter of Steuben County in Indiana, allow potential adopters of black cats to complete applications and visit the shelter with the understanding that they can take their new pet home after October 31.