Helping Black Cats Find Their Forev er Homes - Forgotten Cats
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SEPT EM BER ST AT US UPDAT E: W e sterilized 924 cats and placed 186 cats into lov ing forev er hom es! Hel pi ng Bl ack Cats Fi nd Thei r Forev er Homes Halloween often reminds us of black cats. October is their time to shine- and rightfully so! They are unique animals. But unfortunately, black cats get a bad rap, and they have even worse adoption rates. Of the millions of cats that end up in shelters each year, the majority of those that are euthanized are black. Why? For centuries, black cats have been associated with bad luck and witchcraft. They have long been at the center of spooky stories and mystic folklore and are known as being a witch's BFF. This negative stereotype is one explanation-but one study suggests that even when people don't think about black cats negatively, they still have a tendency to walk right past them at shelters. Black cats are two-thirds less likely to get adopted than white cats and only half as likely to be adopted as tabby cats. Several studies have shown the staggering preference people have for patterned and white cats. For whatever reason, a solid black coat isn't seen as more appealing or doesn't stand out to adopters.
As with all cats in a household, frequently black cats "materialize without notice". This ability, and the extreme difficulty in seeing them in low light or dark conditions, with just the gleam of their eyes visible, has also lent them a cloak of mysteriousness. In Japan and the UK, black cats are considered good luck, however many European countries regard black cats as bad luck, usually in association with how they may appear or cross one's path. Americans also regard them with suspicion, attributing a fall in fortunes to black cats crossing paths. Researchers from Canisius College conducted a study looking at the role the website Petfinder plays in cat adoption. As part of this study, they looked at the adoption rate of cats whose primary coat color was black versus cats of all other coat colors. After analyzing the adoption records of 892 cats with black fur over the span of a year, a few troubling results were found. Firstly, black cats received significantly fewer clicks per day. Secondly, black cats had significantly longer lengths of availability. However, researchers found a few other interesting things that could help these black cats get more exposure. When cats were photographed with colorful toys, it played an important role in increasing their popularity. Similar results were found when cats were photographed outside their cage rather than in it. Showcase them on bright colors, with fancy toys, and show their beautiful eyes in a head shot. Help make this Halloween magical for black cats! Tell your friends and family about black cats' plight and remind them that they're just as lovable and loving as colorful cats. It's also important to remember that they are not props and should not be adopted just for Halloween. Companion animals are a lifelong commitment and should be treated like a member of your family. ALL cats should always be kept indoors, especially around Halloween, when many pranksters go on the prowl for roaming kitties. Fun Fact: Tommaso, the black cat from Italy, is the richest cat in the world. His owner left him $13 million!
Spotlight on Eagle Scout- Fred Hendershot Fred Hendershot, a resident at Mary Campbell Center was looking for an Eagle Scout project (Eagle Scout age requirement is lifted for individuals with disabilities). Fred loves animals and wanted to make his project something that would help an animal rescue. So after a search for a rescue that needed his help, Forgotten Cats was the lucky recipient of his help. Fred collected: 410 cans of wet cat food 315 lbs of dry cat food 159 lbs of kitty litter 40 rolls of paper towels 74 surgery quilts Over 25 trap covers 1 large pet cage 1 med. Pet cage 2 carriers 1 bag of plastic bags 1 large box of fitted sheets and scrap sheets 1 large box of old blankets 1 large box of quilt scraps and fitted sheets He also organized the volunteers to make the trap covers and surgery quilts mentioned in the above list. Fred received an Eagle Scout award on 10/4/18. Action news sent a cameraman, Rep. Deborah Hefferman and Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long both attended the ceremony, which was very touching. Fred was clearly very happy and proud of himself, as he should be!
Reminder: Every first Monday of the month, get your car washed at: Magic Car Wash 3221 Naamans Road, Wilmington, DE 19810 anytime from 8:30 am - 6 pm. Forgotten Cats will receive a $3.00 donation for every Super, Ultimate, or Works wash purchased! TNVR Grant We are honored to have been awarded a TNVR grant from the Maryland Department of Agriculture Spay Neuter Grant Program. Forgotten Cats received $29,425 to carry out TNR for 734 community cats in two zip codes in Salisbury, one of highest cat intake areas for the local shelter. The group will follow its protocol of ensuring it traps all of the cats in a colony. Through this targeted effort, "we expect to stabilize 25 large colonies," says Olivia Westley, previous development director of Forgotten Cats. Thank you Alley Cat Allies for publishing this informative article on the program! https://www.alleycat.org/maryland-program-awards-more-than- 890000-for-spay-and-neuter/ Lets Keep in Touch!
302-429-0124 (DE) 215-219-8148 (PA) 4023 Kennett Pike, Suite 422 Greenville, DE 19807 Donate Visit our website at www.forgottencats.org STAY CONNECTED
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