If you own a black cat here are some interesting facts about your little black panther.

Because of superstitious beliefs in some cultures, black cats are sometimes associated with bad luck and, sadly, are more likely to be put to sleep or wait a long time to be adopted from shelters. Black Cat Appreciation Day was launched to show people that a black cat could be the perfect cat for them, and help raise awareness about black cats in general.

If you’ve been looking for a rescue cat yourself, why not consider a black cat? Not only are the superstitions about them bringing bad luck completely untrue, but you might find a black cat to be a fantastic feline companion for you!

The origin of the black cat and good luck is believed to have begun in Ancient Egypt with the sacred black cat of Oagans- BAST. BAST, a goddess of Egypt reigned in the Twenty-Second Dynasty and was the official deity of Egypt. Many courted her favours, by procuring black cats into their households; believing that she

would become part of that cat in spirit, and grace the home with riches and prosperity.

Fishermen and sailors traditionally believed that having a black cat onboard ensured a safe journey home. (Bonus: fewer rats, too!) English sailors in particular believed that keeping their onboard cat happy would ensure good weather at sea, and would watch how the cat groomed himself to foretell the weather.

18^th-century pirates had mixed opinions about black cats. Cats coming towards a person were considered bad luck, cats walking away were good luck. If a black cat came onboard but then left the ship, the vessel was doomed to sink on its next voyage.

The Bombay Cat or the British Bombay/American Bombay as it is sometimes known is a medium sized short haired cat breed that is a relative of the Burmese Cat. They were formed as a result of breeding between the American/British Shorthair and the Burmese. The result is a cat with a jet black coat and orange eyes similar to a panther. 

Since cats are nocturnal and love to do most of their hunting and exploring at night, it makes sense that black cats would have an advantage. Their prey would never see them coming!

Once a stray on the streets of Rome, Tommaso is now the world’s richest cat after inheriting millions in property from its 94-year-old owner who died in 2011. Tommaso’s owner, Maria Assunta, died in November 2011 and left her entire estate to the lucky kitty.

Melanism is basically the opposite of Albinism. Too much melanin in black cats  is what causes their fur to be so black. Essentially, these cats have so much melanin that it causes their eyes to be golden/yellow!

Depending on your view - and on the temperament of your resident feline photography subject - cats can be either totally easy to photograph, or totally challenging to photograph. A black cat, however, poses some interesting challenges. Actually, almost any black animal does, especially one with a black nose and no other accent features. To learn how to take some great photos of your black cat take a look at this website: How to Photograph a Black Cat

Statistics show that there are more male black cats than female black cats. Superstition may play a role in this due to the fact that it is believed male black cats bring more luck, so many people prefer keeping male black cats compared to females. Research also shows that fur pigmentation is somewhat more dominant in male black cats than female black cats.

The higher content of Melanin in black cats is believed to increased the efficiency of the immune system. This increases the bodies ability to fight infection in black cats. 

For black cat owners in the UK here are a few interesting Black Cat facts for you:

• In England (except Yorkshire) and in Ireland if a black cat crosses your path it is considered bad luck, pretty hard if you love with a black cat
• If you are Scottish and a black cat decides to adopt you, you are indeed very fortunate. Black cats that arrive on someones doorstep signals prosperity.
• In the middle ages, Europeans believed that black cats were associated with Witchcraft. So if you were a single woman and kept and fed cats you were considered a witch and the cats were referred to as a witches co-conspirator.

But whatever facts we find out about our black cats one recurring fact that keeps coming up in my research is that black cats are not as readily adopted compared to other coloured cats. Being the proud owners of a rather handsome and prolific hunter called Jake we would like to pass on this advise. Next time you find yourself looking for a cat in a rescue dont just walk past the black cats they make fabulous pets just as their lighter coloured cousins d