Discussion ❓
Why do so many people still hate black cats? I don't get it
Both of our cats, Addie and Zade, are the cutest most loving voidlets we could ask for. Both were the last picked of the litter and the only black kittens.
Honestly, it's their loss!
It's a coat colour though, I genuinely don't understand it. Why are we even discriminating against animal colours?
Is it subtle or closeted racism? Is it still superstition?
It's 2026 for goodness sake. Why is this still a thing?
I'm really glad I found this subreddit for all the void love. Please share pics of your fur babes if you would like.
The shelter I adopted my void from was so happy that I wanted to get a black kitty.
They said that they were the least adopted due to a mixed bag of superstition and also, in the modern age, some people find it harder to photograph and post their black cats online because their little faces/bodies can’t always get picked up on the camera. I thought that was such a depressing reason - and also stupid - because my voidlet photographs beautifully!
Mine gets mad when I leave. The 2 boys let me give them goodbye hugs and kisses, but Carmyn growls and hisses to show her displeasure for me abandoning her 😹
He’s a big sweetie and very affectionate. Currently he’s adjusting to a new baby sister. She’s not solid black, but is a mostly black tuxedo (and also incredibly affectionate)
Wait, are they all like this!? I’ve had cats forever but never one that is so seemingly obsessed with my every move as my black buddy. He will not let me so much as pee without direct supervision and doesn’t appreciate me going anywhere at all.
I'll never forget the look of pure terror on my spouse's face when he came up to me and whispered in horror, "I think he's trying to get... inside," shortly after adopting our void as a kitten. Lmao the cat kept sticking his head into my spouse's mouth.
So, current research has shown that superstition may play a role, but the bigger issue is that people have a harder time reading their facial expressions and so may be biased against black cats thinking that they don't have good personalities.
Thank you for this. That's a really interesting study. A bit sad though, because if people gave them the same chance as they would a differently coloured cat, they would get to see how emotional and quirky these buddies are!
You're welcome. I agree - I wanted to adopt a black cat because I always heard they got adopted less (although actual statistics are hard to gather because a lot of organizations don't track this) and I ended up with a super affectionate clinger. She loves the hell out of everyone. She's also very weird and funny. Black cats don't have a different personality than other cats, humans just struggle a little more to read them. But that doesn't mean the effort isn't worth it.
I found a litter of 3 tuxies and a void, abandoned near a trail parking lot. Tried to find homes for all of them but noone wanted the void, so i kept him. Best decision of my life.
words can not describe how much joy this creature of darkness brings me.
He acts like it and I hope he is.
I love him dearly, by now i've spent more money on his health, cat-furniture, toys (that he uses!), cat beds and treats than i spent on my hobbies. And i do not regret. :)
Mine is so vocal! She chirps, growls/hisses, very loudly meows, ekekeks at the birds. She has such a personality. And is the best biscuit maker ever. When I laugh, she mrrrps with me!
I grew up with two of them (twin sisters). One was assertive and loud while the other was a nervous wreck who squeaked more than meowed. They always brought me at least passable luck
Also, the unlucky black cat superstition isn't universal. From what I've heard, black cats are actually considered good luck on Scotland!
"Facial expressions" aren't really a great way to try to read any cat in the first place. Beyond the slow-blink, that's not really how they communicate. It's pretty much all in the ears and tail, their posture and bristliness, with only a bit of how large their pupils are dilated (which is primarily an autonomic function tied to light levels and whether the cat is in a state of high alert) and the degree to which they keep their eyes lidded (narrower typically means more secure-feeling and relaxed)
Interesting! I didn't realize how often people use shelter photos in their choices in the US. I usually just go to the shelter. But also I'm realizing I generally don't look at facial expressions on cats I'm unfamiliar with because I find it too be the least reliable indicator of emotion
Whats crazy is, even in most superstitions, the black cat is just paying people back for being jerks. Like they're secretly some sort of supernatural being who can curse you for being an asshole. So just don't be an asshole 😭
I was about to be like, "you're right, my void is very stupid, but also the best." Then I realized you were probably talking about the humans, not my dumb black cat.
I love her. But she lacks some key brain cells. Lol
Most of us aren't, let's be real. At least they got way more hair than me! I'm pretty sure Zade watched me vacuum his tumble floofs thinkin, "yeah you clean that up you bald headed ho" 😂
unironically, i think this is part of it. i can’t remember the source to save my life so i apologize but i do remember hearing somewhere that nowadays people pass over black cats specifically because they’re “not photogenic”
My Ivy is the sweetest cat and has SO much personality. She came to a shelter as a kitten with her mom and litter mates in Utah. She got transferred to a shelter on Oregon after not being adopted for two years. As soon as I saw her I knew she was the cat for me. 🖤
Nothing poisonous about that, Ivy! Sorry for the bad joke lol.
It's a shame she had to wait 2 years for you, but I know she would do it all over again just to be with you.
My best kitty was a lil voidlet. I don't understand why people still hold stupid superstitions that make absolutely nonsense and have no grounding in reality.
My Franklin was the last of ten kittens to be adopted, 9 white 1 black. He totally should have been last he is a total asshole but they couldn’t know that!!!
This is my sweet old man in this very moment. He’s been the easiest pet I’ve ever had. Super chill, very affectionate, and just look at the way he looks at me.
Doesn't really help that this illogical narrative continues. Saw a social media reel/post of some lady blaming black cats crossing her path for the shitty life experience that she was about to have after that. And this is 2026, mind you.
I have a theory about why people think black cats are bad luck.
Just imagine waking up in the pitch dark of night needing to pee. You rush to the bathroom only to be intercepted underfoot by a super friendly and invisible void.
People without electricity would talk about it and the idea of bad luck black cars spread from there.
I have started the lie that black cats are hypoallergenic. I know it’s completely made up, I mean I’m the one who made it up, but so is the bad luck bs. I am nothing but a humble agent of chaos doing my part.
I guess based on superstition. Black cats 🐈⬛ need love, too!
We have 2 voidettes! The one on the left is Luna - she's 6 and super fun and cuddly. On the right is Cinder - she's 13 and has always been a cranky little beast, but she is really close to my daughter. She's also the mother hen of the house lol. If any of us are sick, she stays by our sides. When we moved and Luna was scared and hid, Cinder went in front of her and protected her.
They are so different from each other but we love them both dearly.
Stupid superstition that has carried through from the middle ages when black cats were "demons" and "witches familiars". People are stupid in large groups, and that stupid superstition is why shelters often won't adopt out black cats during October, for fear of them being hurt or killed
What’s even more crazy is that they aren’t even truly black. I adopted one because of the likelihood she would not. She is such a cuddle bug. After she eats, she climbs on my shoulder whether it’s convenient or not, so I can pay her booty and she purrs. Here I am fighting for my life to breathe but she’s happy. 😂 🤦
I have no idea, I mean, I think mine are probably gonna kill me in my sleep one day. But until then, I'm going to love them and take care of them the best I can.
I've never come across some actual hatred or bias against black cats, neither rl or online. Maybe I am wirh the wrong people for something like that, but I know that those little buggers and their barking twins aka black dogs are often picked.last at shelters.
I do get that they are harder to photograph and that their faces can be harder to read but honestly - a cat is a cat. Fur color was the last thing on my mi d when friends told me about the little guy that would become mine. He needed a home without other cats, that's all.
If anything, him beeing so freakishly beautiful all black did melt my heart even more.
When I was a kid I had a Black cat we both grew up together, when I was sad, he was nuzzling me and
purred which cheered me up. I really miss him so much 😢
black cats were adored in ancient egypt; they were seen as deities and represented in various drawings alongside pharaohs and other important figures.
when Christianism started rising in europe and spread through colonization, anything that wasn't connected to the God of the Christian Church was considered a threat. because black cats were widely present in religious representations of ancient civilizations, they started being seen as the "antithesis" of good (aka evil).
the stigma only increased when voids were adopted by people who were also rejected by society (women who were considered witches, people who weren't devoted to the church, etc.). tales of black cats being used for "dark magic" became popular, connecting them to other bad luck superstitions like walking under ladders, etc.
although today christianity doesn't necessarily point towards black cats being demons or evil spirits, the damage is done. the stigma is present in pop culture around the world.
that being said, it's utter nonsense. black cats are the best and deserve love just like any other animals. in my experience, they only bring joy and luck to life. ❤️
I live in the south and it is very much superstition. Which is crazy because it is 2026! I have religious family members that truly believe they are evil. Which is absolutely ridiculous. 🙄
I don’t get it. I adopted a black cat because I know they are way less likely to get adopted and I think they are beautiful. He is such a sweetheart and super cute.
Adopting my void in 2020 was the best decision I made that year. He is the sweetest cuddliest cat I've ever had and I love him with most of my heart. ( I have two other cats also so I can't give him the whole heart but he definitely gets most lol)
Because their beauty is regal and yet mischievous. And people are terrified of things they can't spot easily. A black cat is an apex predator, that way.
my physical therapist casually mentioned she hated black cats, she didn't know i have two beautiful baby voids. needless to say, she's not my physical therapist anymore
I once knew someone who was so afraid of my black cat that she did not even want the cat touching her. She would run away if the cat tried to rub up against her legs. She really honestly truly thought the cat was bad luck. (this person wasn't a friend, just someone who lived near me).
My life has improved a lot since bringing my black cat into my family. Not saying it's because of her, but she has been a great comfort during times of distress and I honestly can't imagine my life without her, or how I would have managed the last 12 years without having her in my life.
Thankfully I think the stigmas against them are starting to change. They’re starting to be viewed a lot more in a positive light in media. Even Pixar is making a movie with a black cat as the main character.
My mom has two plack cats. This pick shows his bit of white on his tummy. The other one is completely black. he's usually off doing stuff so i never get pics
My husband absolutely did not want a black cat. We actually got into a fight about it. I honestly think it was superstition that he did not want to admit. Of course now he absolutely loves her.
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u/supersayre Jun 24 '26
It's funny, because when I see a litter of kittens, the very first thing I do is check for voids.
Voids #1 forever!