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Fight Harmful Myths: Take the Black Cat Pledge

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Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site

Stories of black cats being kidnapped and abused always increase around Halloween. Help give these animals a chance!

Fight Harmful Myths: Take the Black Cat Pledge

Black cats have long been cast as symbols of bad luck. Around Halloween, another frightening story spreads: that they are routinely kidnapped or harmed. Animal welfare organizations say there is no clear evidence that black cats face greater danger at that time of year. Repeating the claim can reinforce fear instead of helping cats find homes4,5.

The barriers black cats face in adoption deserve attention. In a 2026 U.S. study, people viewing shelter photos rated black cats as less likely to be adopted soon than cats with other coat colors2. The researchers found that participants were also less confident reading black cats’ expressions in photos1.

Other research has identified negative attitudes toward black cats². An analysis of nearly 8,000 cats at one U.S. shelter found a small but significant disadvantage in adoption outcomes for black cats, though the results cannot be assumed to apply to every shelter3.

A cat’s coat tells us nothing about the love and companionship they can offer. We can challenge harmful stereotypes, share adoption opportunities, support shelters, and report cruelty whenever we encounter it.

Make a difference in the lives of these animals. Sign below and take the Black Cat Pledge.

More on this issue:

  1. Jill A. Villarreal, Reese Gebauer, and James C. Ha, Animals (11 March 2026), “Do Black Cats Look Less Adoptable? Human Judgments of Emotions and Adoptability in Online Shelter Photographs in the United States.”
  2. Greg C. Elvers, Brianna Gavin, and Robert J. Crutcher, Animals (22 November 2024), “Explicit and Implicit Measures of Black Cat Bias in Cat and Dog People.”
  3. Robert M. Carini, Jennifer Sinski, and Jonetta D. Weber, Animals (23 September 2020), “Coat Color and Cat Outcomes in an Urban U.S. Shelter.”
  4. Alley Cat Allies, Alley Cat Allies (24 October 2022), “How to Really Protect Black Cats on Halloween (and Every Day).”
  5. Danielle Bays, HumanePro (26 October 2016), “Black cats and Halloween.”

The Pledge

As an advocate for the health and wellbeing of all animals, I want to change the unfair stereotypes that black cats are subject to, often leading to needless suffering.

I am taking the Black Cat Pledge and promise to:

  • Fight misinformation - I promise to call out statements that perpetuate the false myths about black cats.
  • Fight exploitation and cruelty - I promise to report any incidents of animal cruelty involving a black cat or any other animal to the authorities.
  • Support adoption efforts - All shelter cats need loving forever homes, and I will do my part to share adoption opportunities with my personal network.
  • Adopt, don't shop - Buying animals from a pet store serves to support breeding operations that lead to more animals languishing in shelters. I promise to support my local animal shelter whenever possible, and encourage others to do the same.

Sincerely,

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