For centuries, black cats have suffered at the hands of humans’ ill-conceived notions deeming them somehow unlucky or less desirable than their colorful counterparts.

Even though black cats were known to be worshiped in ancient Egypt — it was a capital crime if they were killed, even by accident — the perception of cats being affiliated with witches grew in popularity in the Middle Ages.

From roughly the 5th through 15th century, it was believed that black cats were spell-casting witches in disguise and should not be trusted. When women who were believed to be witches were sentenced to death, many times their black cats saw the same fate.

The negative stigma associated with black cats continued to be perpetuated, with countless superstitions running rampant, including that seeing one is a bad omen; if one lays on a sick person’s bed, it means death is on the way; and that if a black cat crosses a person’s path, it is a sign of bad luck.

These unfounded folklores have fueled not only a sense of fear in some people, but may have also created subconscious prejudice when selecting a cat for adoption.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ youth organization, PETA2, reported that of the three to four million cats that enter animal shelters each year, 71 percent are euthanized, and of that percentage, the majority are black cats.

“Black cats are two-thirds less likely to get adopted than white cats and only half as likely to be adopted as tabby cats,” PETA2 explained in its article “Black Cats Less Likely to be Adopted, Studies Show.”

As a result, black cats spend 40 percent more time in shelters than white or orange-colored cats.

Despite National Black Cat Day being October 27, there are still shelters across the country hesitant to advertise their black cats for adoption during the month of Halloween for fear that the cats will be chosen for nefarious purposes.

Over the years, rumors have surfaced that religious groups seek black cats for ritual sacrifice around Halloween.

However, www.aspcapro.com assures, “While it is true that animals too often become the victims of holiday pranks and cruelty, there is no reason to believe that witches are involved... Normal adoption counseling procedures should be able to screen out those applicants with bad intent.”

For those with black cats at home already, the best practice to ensure pets are protected on Halloween is to keep them indoors. The holiday poses the perfect opportunity for pets to accidentally escape due to the repeated opening and closing of the front door to accommodate the constant ebb and flow of trick-or-treaters.

National animal rescue group Best Friends Animal Society recommends putting pets in a secure room with the door shut and playing soothing music in the background to avoid pets running away into the night.

“Keeping them in a closed room will also minimize the fright they might get from loud voices and wild costumes,” the organization states on its “Halloween Pet Safety Tips” page.

Furry Friends In Need Of Forever Homes

No matter what time of year, there are many black cats in shelters looking for their forever home, including half a dozen adoptable felines at Danbury Animal Welfare Society (DAWS) in Bethel.

Currently up for adoption are black cats Magic, Jade, and Jamaica; tuxedo-cats Bailey and Brando; as well as the black-and-orange tortoiseshell cat Mary.

DAWS Cattery Manager Gina Amenta says the shelter will soon be welcoming even more black cats for adoption later this month, including Warrior, Pegasus, Cricket, Stewart, Lucky, and three kittens, Notation, Jot, and Scribble.

For additional information on how to adopt a cat from Danbury Animal Welfare Society, visit daws.org.