Look at this black cat. The thing about black cats, people’s reactions are often so different. Some people are attracted by their unique appearance, or the fact that they do not look like all the other cats. Others stay away from them due to ancient superstitions that link black cats to bad luck. All the same, these beliefs are held in various cultures for many years, despite not being grounded in reality or anything tangible.

Black felines behave, need, and get sick the same way other cats do. They eat the same food, react to the same sorts of care and have the same spectrum of personalities. The color of their fur, in fact, is their only true difference, governed by genetics. Black cats are not adopted as much as cats with other colors in many or possibly most shelters. Some believe this is connected to superstitions. Some others speculate it may have to do with the fact that facial features are harder to make out in pictures, which can affect adoption profiles online.

Then there are people who have black cats simply because they love to go against the norm. In that instance, the cat’s appearance is a part of an expression or preference. But none of that changes what the cat is. A cat is just a cat, with fur. It’s not the way it behaves, or what kind of care it requires.