I have a very special treat for you today! My good friend, Selina from the blog One Eye on the Future, is guest posting! I thought it was only appropriate, since she is a black cat herself, to come by on Black Cat Appreciation Day and explain why our dark-furred brothers and sisters are so cool! You will also meet the other three black kitties who are members of her family below.
Meowlo! I’m Selina and, in honor of Black Cat Appreciation Day, my furriend, Sparkle, asked me to meow about why being a black cat is awesome.
The answer lies in our unique history. Simply put, black cats are survivors.
Perhaps more than any other feline type or breed, black cats bring to the table a checkered history which charts the full spectrum of human behavioral response, from the barren outlands of cruelty and misunderstanding to the calm inner harbors of veneration and love. Down the centuries, we’ve been accused of all sorts of things, from the silly (bringing bad luck) to the hateful (being the companions of witches and devils). Just as often, we’ve paid for these ignorant misrepresentations by being tortured or killed — merely for being black cats.
Just look at me. In medieval times, not only would my fur color have been a strike against me, but also my being a one-eyed (or “uniocular,” as MomKatt says) kitty would no doubt have earned me top billing on Beelzebub’s minion list! Why, I might have been accused of using my empty eye socket to put the “evil eye” on someone! Back then, instead of sleeping next to a warm fire, I’d probably have wound up being put in one. Not a pretty thought.
Yet today, we black cats flourish, thanks to peeps like my Mom&DadKatt, who use their passion for black kitties to help educate others about the wonders of being owned by “le chat noir.” In my family alone, we have four blackies, counting me, and I have a Black Angel sibling as well. MomKatt says eventually our house will be “all black!” And we know many other families that include at least one black kitty in their clowder.
As part of my research for this article, I interviewed MomKatt and asked what she found most appealing about me and my ebony siblings. She replied, “It’s not down to any one thing. Your mystique is a combination of many things, most of them intangible and almost indefinable. Most of all, I just love you guys so much!”
Nail on the head! Our appeal is ageless, our capacity to seduce and charm immeasurable. We are mysterious, yet overflow with love to give and are boon companions to the humans that care for us. We are astoundingly beautiful; our coats and eyes (be they green or yellow) shine, gleam and dazzle all who encounter us. Black cats elude generalizations and exude a presence — dare I say an “aura?” — unlike that of any other feline. We are not evil or cursed; we are precious creatures, full of love. All anyone has to do to find this out is get to know one of us. Our trust, once given, is more precious than rubies.
Despite the challenges we’ve faced throughout history, black cats survive and endure. My own story, as well as that of each of my black siblings and those of black cats everywhere, demonstrates our resiliency, making us even more precious to our pawrents. Every day, we delight our Mom&DadKatt and I know they wouldn’t trade us for anything in the world.
And if there’s one thing I’ve found that humans really dig, it’s a happy ending.
©Laura G. Carter 2012
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I’m so glad you all enjoyed my little meowings!
PURRS!
Selina
Black is Beautiful!
Happy Black Cat Day to Selina and all other black kittehs!
So glad you didn’t live back then! Black kitties are so sleek and beautiful (even when they are a little rounder then they should be) Hopefully one day we’ll get past this evil evil business.
Well, I dunno so much about the “precious creatures full of love,” but as a black cat myself, I *do* think I’m pretty awesome!
We loved seeing Selina! We a-member when she got ‘dopted! It’s great to see her looking so beautiful and happy 😉
Selina, you are beautiful and we enjoyed reading your post! Happy Black Cat Appreciation Day!
Selina is quite the scribe-cat. Pretty furr and a happy ending….Glad Ms. Sparkle had Ms. Selina guest post today…made my whiskers tickle!
Noir
Wow! Fantastic post! That was a truly inspiring piece of writing.
Hey, Selena’s sibling and I share the same carrier!
Great post. It’s good to see black cats are appreciated. My human had a black cat too but that was years before I was born
What an excellent post, Selina! We think black cats rock!! In fact, Ernie was adopted BECAUSE he was black!!!
The publicist loves black cats. I think she has mentioned (ad nauseum) that she used to have 15 black cats…
Wonderful article Selina. You did a wonderful job of explaining why Black cats are Special.
Thank you Sweetie. The Bush Blacks: Bow Tye, Scaredy, Bear, Lila Mae, Lulu and Boss xoxoxoxo
Selina
you are gorgeous!!!
Terrific posting!!!
purrs
>^,,^<
✿•*¨`*•. ♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥✿•*¨`*•.
Great post Selina! We think black kitties are beautiful too! You are a gorgeous black kitty family!
Good article! we have 5 black cats so we know how great they are.
Black is beautiful and we need to keep educating the misinformed until cat cats have equal chances of being adopted from shelters. Thank-you!
Excellent article and Selina…my mommy would do anyfing you asked. She’s in love with you. I not jellus tho.
Why are humans so prejudiced about the color black, both in other humans and cats? That is inexcusable. Pop has always wanted a pure black cat but every time he went to his rescue, they never had any so he still hasn’t had one. I’m sure the next cat will be black. Excellent, informative article, BTW.
Dear Selina, you mewed the truth about us black kitties. We think you’re very beautiful and we wish Sparkle and you a happy Black Cat Appreciation Day! Purrs from Ateret and Livia
I love black kitties! In our home live Ebano, a three leg black cat!
That was terrific and so is Selina!!!!!
“we are precious creatures, full of love”
Purrfect said!
Black cats are so beautiful! I had one called Toby. He was wonderful. A rescued cat nobody wanted because, you know, he was black. That makes me sad. Toby had a loving home but so many of them don’t still
What a wonderful way to honor black cats!
Honored to meet you Selina =^.^=
Selina, you and your siblings are all beautiful. I had black dog long time ago and she was a sweetie! Happy Black Cat Appreciation Day!
PS – Pics of my sibs from top to bottom are Oliver, our porch panther, Peppers & my sisfur, Morticia, who’s nearly as famous as MOI! MOL
PURRS!
Selina
If you scroll over the photos with your mouse or pointer, the names show up… but I should probably made it more obvious!
Black kitties are marvelous! And we love it when they get adopted!
Great post! Black kittehz are great!
that is a great guest post – our house panther Mo gives it 4 paws up!!!
We think black cats are fabulous!!!! Our brother Kipper is a blackie and he is a very special boy indeed 🙂
Selina, I just enjoyed your post. As my little black girl, Salem would say, Black Cats Rule!!
Selina is so deeply black, like she was dipped in ink! Nice post 🙂
Great post, Selina! Here in Australia black cats are most often thought of as lucky. We sure think they are fabulous 🙂
Sparkle, all:
Thank you & it looks great!
Thanks for asking me to write this, Sparkle! MomKatt & I had a blast doing it!
Remember everyone: pet a black cat today & wish them a happy day!
PURRS!
Selina
Our Mum had an all black cat called Max – in fact he guarded her jealously from any intruders whatever their colours! In the UK black cats are regarded as lucky so they aren’t persecuted.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
That is such a great post Selina. Black cats are the best. We are unhappy because we didn’t know until too late to do a post about black cats today. We have three living here and they are all great cats. Hope everyone has a terrific day.
We think you’re beautiful, Selina. And we love house panthers – Rumblemum had several black cats when she was growing up, and they were such special kitties.
We don’t have any black cats over here. We’re all marked like siamese but we’re regular. Nice post.
hugs, Max,n Bugsy, and Knuckles.
Our pawrents love black kitties too. In fact, the furst Queen of Purring Pines was a very intellligent solid black kitty! Thank you Selena & Sparkle! Have a great weekend!
Very well meowed! We agree black kittehs are full of pawsome.