Why is Kent not adopting black cats?

Data from the RSPCA shows they are three times more likely to be taken into their care.    Kristin Hawthorne reports.

Transcript

00:00Biggest number of cats we got are black and white. On average, if you compare it with other colours,

00:06they may stay another two or three weeks.

00:10Black cats have long been connected to myths and legends,

00:14often unfairly seen as omens of bad luck.

00:17But today, these age-old superstitions could be costing them loving homes.

00:22The RSPCA revealed that black cats are three times more likely to be taken into their care.

00:28At Cats Protection in Sittingbourne, staff are facing record high intakes of kittens.

00:33Been an absolute explosion. For instance, our maternity unit, we have 10 pens there.

00:40Normally, this time of the year, it's completely empty.

00:43But this year, we've still, even in January, we've still got six pens full up.

00:50Adrian told me he's been working here for 17 years, but in 2024,

00:54he's seen the highest amount of kittens coming into the centre.

00:57Amongst these kittens were black and black and white cats,

01:00which are often much harder to set up for adoption.

01:04Well, I think there's a number of reasons these days. I mean, superstition does play a role.

01:09I think also the mono-colour is an issue.

01:14People come and see lovely ginger and whites or tabbies and tortoise.

01:18But one of the biggest influences at the moment are online cats,

01:23particularly the designer cats, the Scottish Folds, which are all munchkins and,

01:30you know, one week and then it'll be the Savannahs, then it'll be the Bengals.

01:34So all of these factors contribute to making it harder to find home for black cats and black and

01:41white cats as well. But how many people have superstitions

01:45about these cats? I went to Rochester to find out.

01:49I, for me, a cat is a cat, no matter what colour they are.

01:54I know that they say that black cats are superstitious and things,

01:57but that makes me want a black cat more because it makes it unique to me, I suppose.

02:02But yeah, I have noticed there are more black cats at the place that I volunteer at.

02:06I would have any colour cat, black or, you know, I've got no superstitions about them at all.

02:12No, I mean, I've heard of the black cat superstition, but generally speaking,

02:16I'm not someone who has any superstitions at all.

02:19I think you probably do find that with a black cat, you would kind of like think,

02:24oh, is my day going to be a good day if it runs across your path?

02:27So whether they bring luck, love or lots of purrs,

02:30these cats definitely have a lot to offer. Kristen Hawthorne for CAMtv in Settingbourne.

02:37Lucy, you got anything to say?