SPOKANE, Wash. — It is October and even though this month loves black cats, it turns out a lot of people looking to adopt, do not.
When people say they do not see color, that is not always true.
Many black cats at SCRAPS without homes, are proof.
"We have a hard time getting black cats adopted because when you come into the cat room, the cats are a little bit more stand-offish and you don't see their personality so people go by color, so a Siamese is very popular, a tortoise shell is very exotic looking," said Janet Dixon, the special programs manager at SCRAPS.
For years, the animal industry has stopped adoptions for black cats during October.
Some will say this is because these cats have been used for weird Halloween rituals or abuse, something SCRAPS said is a common misconception.
"We could not find data to support the fact that these animals were taken, being abused or used, they were just going into happy homes," said Dixon. "These cats are chipped, (they) are registered, we know where these animals are going, we know the family they are going to," she said.
Now, many shelters like SCRAPS are encouraging black cat adoptions all year round, even near Halloween.
"Black cats need a home just like every other cat, there's nothing wrong with them so I would ask people to come in and spend a few extra minutes getting to know the cat and see their personality come out," said Dixon.
If you are in the market for a new cat and you would like to adopt from SCRAPS, you can visit their website here.
