September 17-25 is supposedly Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week… but what is “less adoptable,” really? I can see why cats with multiple medical issues might need a human with the time and means to cope with medication and/or special care, but does having a smaller pool of potential adopters make them less adoptable? Think about it: when there is a news item about a cat that has been hurt or disfigured through an accident or act of cruelty, invariably dozens — sometimes hundreds — of humans offer to adopt her. And of course the cat can only go to one home. What about all those other humans? If they were so willing to take that particular kitty, what is stopping them from choosing another one suffering under similar circumstances, but who did not make the evening news?
Then there’s the case of black cats. Why are they “less adoptable?” The black cats I know around the blogosphere have great personalities that shine through their blog posts. What if you blindfolded a human and set her down in the middle of a shelter room full of cats? What if she had to pick out a cat purely by feel and friendliness? How much do you want to bet that the cat she would pick would be black — or a tortoiseshell cat, the second “least adoptable” fur color?
Want more proof that there is no such thing as “less adoptable?” Let’s look at one of my fellow blogging cats, Selina. Not only is she black, she has only one eye. But if you read about her activities on her blog, you’ll discover a truly delightful, kind of wacky young kitty! The kind of cat nearly anyone would enjoy bringing home.
Less adoptable? Honestly, there is no such thing. Nearsighted humans who could not recognize a winning companion if they tripped over one? Sadly, there are way too many of those.
See all of Summer’s merch at her Designercat Shop, available on Zazzle.
I have a black cat, and he is crazy, but in a good way! I adopted him five years ago for my birthday. Merlin is an overgrown kitten, he is friendly and loves people, and gives nose kisses and chatters. He plays with anything on the floor. He is friends with other cats, and he was even friends with the dogs who lived behind us.
Less adoptable? Nope, he cuddled into me and it was game over!
Oh and BTW don’t EVER tell my tortie sisfur Sienna she is less adoptable….. OK so someone brought her back to the vet place and said she was ‘feral’ and she can act tough but she is the best playmate I could wish for and I don’t want her returned to the vet place please, thank you.
Just so you know……
Sparkle, its posts like this that make me proud to be a cat, and your blogging fan. THis is just THE BEST post. You and your Mum are brilliant.
Dash Kitten
BTW, I didn’t know Selina had a blog. I’ll have to go over there and say Hi.
I agree with you. Those people that want to adopt a cat in the news really do not want to cat. They want publicity. I remember none of the losers of Prince Chunk took another cat home. That makes them double losers—or just plain losers.
Absolutely, Sparkle! None of my cats have been “perfect”, but they have all been wonderful companions for life.
Great post, Sparkle! I agree: there is no such thing as a less adoptable cat!
I hope we have a day when there’s no such thing as “less adoptable.” If we hadn’t moved to Barbie’s Dream Condo, I’d petition my mom to get a bunch of black cats.
TBT here: There IS “less adoptable”. When I went to a pet store in the early 90s, there were two kittens in a cage. One was friendly and adorable, one was not. She was “less adoptable”. But the adorable kitten was “promised” to a bride and the only choice was the other”.
She WAS less adoptable. But I adopted her. She turned out to be infested with ear mites, ozzed “eye stuff” til her eyelids stuck closed and needed a few months of a lot of care. The vet called her “Lucky Cat” cuz I kept her instead of returning her to certain death at the pet store.
She WAS less adoptable, but I never looked back and she was a great friend for 16 years.
“Less Adoptable” is a fact. “WORTH adopting” is also a fact. I think that the least adoptable are sometimes the best friends.
Very well said Sparkle! We posted about so called “less adoptable” animals on our Niptini blog too but you did a much better job of calling attention to the problem. We think all animals deserve to be loved no matter what!
Oh Sparkle we agree wholeheartedly!!!
Well, I guess **I** was less adoptable, being black and feral and a real PITA. Oh wait–ha ha ha–I really AM less adoptable.
My Human is super patient. Yeah, really, she is. Because, you know, I don’t give her much love. But hey–that makes it all the more meaningful when I *do*–right???
Thanks for saying what we’ve always thought, Sparkle. Very well said post. All dogs and cats no matter what their circumstances deserve loving forever homes.
Pip, Smidgen, MInnie, Hollie
Great post Sparkle!
Good points well made Sparkle. My humans adopted Fat Eric and his sister Hattie when they were 8 and they were “less adoptable” because they were not kittens and they had to be adopted together. Silly humans who think some kitties are less adoptable!
Dora the Explorer xxx
Every kitty deserves a loving home. The Harley Quinn was overlooked for 6 months at the shelter, and he was getting to be older and “less adoptable.”
You hit the nail on the head. Where are all those people who are willing to adopt the animals on the news? If every one of them would take home a pet or two, the shelters would be practically empty!
Sparkle, you’re becoming one of my heroines! And you’re right — can they truly quantify adoptable? The same cat with a news story could be “more adoptable”.
Some good points here, Sparkle, and thank you for speaking up about this problem. One of my brothers and my sister were also black, but it didn’t stop them finding good homes.
PFFFT! Less Adoptable? Poppycock! Those humans had better be glad *they* aren’t rated by us in such a manner!
We give your post Two Paws Up!
PAWSOME and well-written and … gee … thanks for mentioning me!! MOL!
But you’re right – we have SO much love to give and people that REALLY love us & want to adopt a “less than adoptable” kitty get the benefits of ALL that love – and more, so MUCH more!
PURRS!
Selina
So, so true, Sparkle! Every cat is adoptable. People just need to close their eyes and open their hearts! 🙂
I couldn’t agree more Sparkle, less adoptable? NOT!!!
The publicist has always said she loves black cats. Cats usually find her. In fact Sherpa is the first cat that came from a shelter. Cats usually come to her as strays. They find her house, she starts feeding them, then it gets cold, she gives the male person “the look” and then there is another cat in the house.
The male person gets worried when he sees “the look”. He has never been able to say no to it.
Indeed there are. We think all cats are adoptable and wonderful. One of the Petco employees where the off site shelter is housed fell in love with one of our cats with a genetic issue and when she was adopted (he was waiting on some info from housemates), he started searching around for another cat with the same illness and now has a great companion whom he adores!
As if HUMANS are all perfect! All beings are special and deserve love.
There are some stupid people around. A cat is a beautiful being regardless of its colour. I agree with the first statement as when we get an incident on the TV everyone flocks around but when its not on the TV they dont want to know. Maybe they should not get the kitty as they are obviously shallow. Hugs GJ x
Sparkle, this is so true! We always wondered about all those humans that are willing to adopt an animal that makes the news for some sad reason. Only one can adopt that animal. Why aren’t the others running to the shelters to adopt some other poor animal who is lucky enough not to have the misfortune of making the 6pm news??
Some people think Abys are “less adoptable” because they’re so busy and interactive! Hard to believe, but true…
I have never understood why black cats are unadoptable. I have had 2. They were the smartest, most lovable, loyal cats that I have ever had. One (Morris) has been gone for 26 years and the other (Bruce) has been gone for almost 6 years. I still deeply miss both. I currently have 2 torties and 2 tabbies. All little stinkers, but I love them and wouldn’t change them one bit. Not that I could any way. 😉
We couldn’t agree more. All our cats would fit the criteria being old, blind, one-eyed or neurotic, but we think they’re purrfect.
Me was “less adoptable”. When me was at the Pound, they said they would have to put me down because of my “personality issues”. Me did just not trust people and me hissed and clawed and bit everybody. But my Daddy knew that all me needed was some love and stability and brought me home.
It tooked a long time for me to even let my Daddy pet me. That’s how me got the name “The Cat From Hell”.
Kisses
Nellie
Great post – most of us here are considered pretty unadoptable – black, handicapped, older or feral but we make great pets! Ask mom!
Mom gets frustrated by those cases too….why is it that hundreds of people will call about the dog on the news but then disappear when they are told THAT animal has been adopted? What about the other great animals in the shelters? We bet they have stories just as sad….some that are known and some that aren’t. But they are just as in need of a loving family. Great post!!!
Sparkle our mum agrees with you about black cats – before us there were two cats and one of those was black – he climbed up the leg of her jeans when she went to the shelter and when she put him down to look round he climbed up again and she said she’d been gotcha’d and he went home with her there and then.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
We have both a black cat and a tortie and we took them because of their personalities rather than their color. Another reason we adopted Lucy (the black cat) was because she had been a shelter cat since she was a kitten; in fact, she’d been adopted once and then returned so we wanted to make sure she had someplace she would feel loved and know she could live with us furever. Thanks for a great post!
Well said, Sparkle. We’ve seen a couple of good promotions lately where shelters have tried to match up the eleventy billion people who seem to want to adopt the celebrity animal du jour with other, similar animals. It’s great that they are starting to cotton onto it.
All very well said Sparkle. You have such a good out look on the problem. We are very fond of our black cats as we are about all of them. Who cares what color they are or how old they are. I adopted a special needs cat and she is just wonderful. I feel like someone that doesn’t want a black cat, or an older cat or a cat with special needs should not really have a cat. Great post as usual.
Black Cat always the Best Sparkle ! But I don’t know what’s wrong with those people, even my mom ‘s work mate ! He is a cat pawson and he is black, he said Black Cat is evil, could you believe that ?… well I just purrs hard for them to have a better idea what black cat is !
I like the point you make about lots of people volunteering to adopt the poor cat (or dog) highlighted on the news but then don’t go to get one of the many others available who need a good home. I wonder why.
When mommy adopted me I was considered unadoptable because I was nine years old and eccentric…But for every pot there is a lid…i was exactly what mommy wanted…old and different!
I was the purrrrrfect cat and lived with her for another 10 years!
Yes all kitties should have an equal chance at a furever home regardless of color, age, health or purrrrrsonality!
Love angel Miss Peach from the rainbow
My dear, as always you speak very true. Everykitty deserves a beautiful forever home of their own.
Silly superstitious people. Black cats are the best! (along with every other color of kitty)