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Unlucky felines can’t get home
9:23am Thursday 15th May 2008
ARE black cats losing their lucky allure?
The charity Cats Protection says a disproportionate number of its cats who are waiting at its York adoption centre for a new home have black fur.
Centre manager James Hodgkison said today that one key reason was that many people were turning up to ask for a cat, but saying they wanted any other colour but black.
He said he wondered if black's unpopularity was partly down to the growing influence of American culture in Britain.
He said that in England, black cats were traditionally considered lucky and white cats unlucky, while in America and parts of Europe it was the other way round, with black cats seen as unlucky and white cats as the bringers of good fortune.
"About a third of our cats are black, but we had an even higher percentage a few weeks ago," he said.
"I wouldn't say they are being abandoned or given up because of their colour, but it does affect what people want when they visit the centre to adopt a cat.
"Some people also see black as a boring colour for a cat and want something more exotic. Grey is always a popular colour, as are tabby and ginger."
He said the adoption centre, based in Huntington Road, had been in existence since 2001, and was open seven days a week between 11am and 3pm.
It re-homes at least 400 cats a year, and has assisted owners in neutering hundreds of cats.
He said about a third of the adoption centre's cats were strays, while the rest were previously owned and handed to the charity by their owners for a variety of reasons.
These included moving house, splitting up with their partners, developing an allergy to their cats and because they couldn't afford to keep them any more.
* For further information, or to apply to adopt one of the cats pictured here, phone the centre on 01904 760356.
Your Say YourPress
brummie-ian, south bank says...
9:59am Thu 15 May 08
BL, says...
10:08am Thu 15 May 08
Cari, York says...
10:09am Thu 15 May 08
The Crack Fox, Coming at you, like a razor says...
10:19am Thu 15 May 08
tonesview, york says...
10:24am Thu 15 May 08
Tom, York says...
10:44am Thu 15 May 08
neddy, york says...
11:10am Thu 15 May 08
GoodramgateTerrier, York says...
11:16am Thu 15 May 08
Tom wrote:Bit harsh wouldn't you say Tom...If your not careful you'l give the one at the end a complex, surely it's a healthy size 10! Plump is far too negative a term in today's PC society.
I'll say it again. The easiest solution for unwanted animals such as these is to use them as fodder for pets lucky enough to have a loving home. The kitten on the right for example looks exceedingly plump and healthy...
Jack Meadows, Sun Hill says...
12:03pm Thu 15 May 08
Jack Meadows, Sun Hill says...
12:12pm Thu 15 May 08
They are only cats for goodness sake. How many other animals are there that dont have loving homes to go to and are locked up 24/7.
Jack Meadows, Sun Hill says...
12:14pm Thu 15 May 08
Terry Raspberry, York says...
12:20pm Thu 15 May 08
Jack Meadows wrote:Yess, vrey stupiad indead
Why has my comment just reappeared again, feel very stupid now. Sorry folks.
BL, says...
12:21pm Thu 15 May 08
Jack Meadows wrote:I expect the feelings mutual
I hate cats
Jef, Yorkshire says...
12:22pm Thu 15 May 08
akuma wrote:So its ok to threaten to harm a human but not a cat. Logical.
Tom wrote: I've been censored for advocating eating cats! Up your's Press.You'd rather the press censor you than me my friend.
Jack Meadows, Sun Hill says...
12:30pm Thu 15 May 08
BL wrote:You right, I expect it will be, you dont wanna know what i do when they cr*p in my garden.
Jack Meadows wrote: I hate catsI expect the feelings mutual
akuma, everywhere says...
1:20pm Thu 15 May 08
Jef wrote:Humans can defend themselves, or at least tell someone like the police if people are abusing them, animals cannot.
akuma wrote:So its ok to threaten to harm a human but not a cat. Logical.Tom wrote: I've been censored for advocating eating cats! Up your's Press.You'd rather the press censor you than me my friend.
Seems this pr1ck gets a thrill out of chucking bricks at cats, so if I dont stop him, who will?
The Crack Fox, Coming at you, like a razor says...
1:33pm Thu 15 May 08
akuma wrote:RSPCA/POLICE/CATS PROTECTION
Jef wrote:Humans can defend themselves, or at least tell someone like the police if people are abusing them, animals cannot. Seems this pr1ck gets a thrill out of chucking bricks at cats, so if I dont stop him, who will?akuma wrote:So its ok to threaten to harm a human but not a cat. Logical.Tom wrote: I've been censored for advocating eating cats! Up your's Press.You'd rather the press censor you than me my friend.
YorkLass, York says...
1:44pm Thu 15 May 08
Tom, York says...
1:46pm Thu 15 May 08
akuma wrote:Actually, that was my dad - seems a waste to me; I'd rather eat them. I've heard they taste a bit like chicken...
Jef wrote:Humans can defend themselves, or at least tell someone like the police if people are abusing them, animals cannot. Seems this pr1ck gets a thrill out of chucking bricks at cats, so if I dont stop him, who will?akuma wrote:So its ok to threaten to harm a human but not a cat. Logical.Tom wrote: I've been censored for advocating eating cats! Up your's Press.You'd rather the press censor you than me my friend.
my opinion, york says...
1:47pm Thu 15 May 08
Tom, York says...
2:05pm Thu 15 May 08
YorkLass wrote:That was sounding alright until the bricks.. :(
Let's put Tom in some stocks and chuck bricks at him. I'm first in the queue.
YorkLass, York says...
2:10pm Thu 15 May 08
Jef, Yorkshire says...
2:49pm Thu 15 May 08
The Crack Fox wrote:Exactly but some people think they have the right to take the law into their own hands. Any excuse to beat the crap out of someone! However valiant they think they're being its wrong. Contact the necessary authorities.
akuma wrote:RSPCA/POLICE/CATS PROTECTIONJef wrote:Humans can defend themselves, or at least tell someone like the police if people are abusing them, animals cannot. Seems this pr1ck gets a thrill out of chucking bricks at cats, so if I dont stop him, who will?akuma wrote:So its ok to threaten to harm a human but not a cat. Logical.Tom wrote: I've been censored for advocating eating cats! Up your's Press.You'd rather the press censor you than me my friend.
exYorkist, USA says...
3:07pm Thu 15 May 08
Plenty of people here own black cats, and I don't know anyone who is silly enough to consider them "unlucky". About half the people I know who own a cat own a black one.
akuma, everywhere says...
3:11pm Thu 15 May 08
Jef wrote:No my friend, you'll find beyond all my bravardo that I am acutally quite peaceful and easy going.
The Crack Fox wrote:Exactly but some people think they have the right to take the law into their own hands. Any excuse to beat the crap out of someone! However valiant they think they're being its wrong. Contact the necessary authorities.akuma wrote:RSPCA/POLICE/CATS PROTECTIONJef wrote:Humans can defend themselves, or at least tell someone like the police if people are abusing them, animals cannot. Seems this pr1ck gets a thrill out of chucking bricks at cats, so if I dont stop him, who will?akuma wrote:So its ok to threaten to harm a human but not a cat. Logical.Tom wrote: I've been censored for advocating eating cats! Up your's Press.You'd rather the press censor you than me my friend.
But I cannot stand animal cruelty, and I find the pathetic little fines the courts hand out as punishment to be insulting at the very least.
I dont care if I upset a few of the regulars by taking a hard line stance on this issue, it will cause me exactly zero sleep loss.
But I hope to god people like Tom who actively advocate animal cruelty a slow and painful death.
Tom, York says...
3:11pm Thu 15 May 08
exYorkist wrote:To be honest, I own a black cat. Just very bored today... She's great except for moulting season (IE - now) - black hair all over everything - lovely...
That's really sad, but blaming the US for people not wanting black cats is pitiful. Plenty of people here own black cats, and I don't know anyone who is silly enough to consider them "unlucky". About half the people I know who own a cat own a black one.
tonesview, york says...
3:41pm Thu 15 May 08
Tom wrote:Will you be having him round for
exYorkist wrote:To be honest, I own a black cat. Just very bored today... She's great except for moulting season (IE - now) - black hair all over everything - lovely...
That's really sad, but blaming the US for people not wanting black cats is pitiful. Plenty of people here own black cats, and I don't know anyone who is silly enough to consider them "unlucky". About half the people I know who own a cat own a black one.
dinner with some filer beans
Jef, Yorkshire says...
3:48pm Thu 15 May 08
Tom, York says...
4:02pm Thu 15 May 08
akuma, everywhere says...
4:07pm Thu 15 May 08
Tom wrote:Nob off wind up merchant!
Akuma. If you're so easy to wind up over patently ridiculous views like "I want to eat cats" or "I want to see bricks hurled at them," why shouldn't I enjoy your sputtering? Having my own personal Gary Bushell certainly makes the working day go faster. PS - word to the wise; if you're angling to anoint yourself moral guardian on behalf of all the cat lovers here only one of which found time to comment on the case of seriously ill Jason Lumb battling to keep his benefits) you might want to consider that lousy spelling and frankly bonkers punctuation really are the cyber equivalents of crooked teeth and bad breath. Just a thought.
Yes animal cruelty is one of the few subjects that get me going.
But you can go home now, happy in the knowledge you've wound someone up for the day.
But the truth is, you can call me all the names you want, but you are the **** that hides behind the keyboard, theres no chance youd do it to my face whimp!
Tom, York says...
4:10pm Thu 15 May 08
Jef, Yorkshire says...
4:12pm Thu 15 May 08
akuma wrote:If it really gets you going why not be proactive instead of reactive. If you care that much do something to STOP it not go mental after the event.
Tom wrote: Akuma. If you're so easy to wind up over patently ridiculous views like "I want to eat cats" or "I want to see bricks hurled at them," why shouldn't I enjoy your sputtering? Having my own personal Gary Bushell certainly makes the working day go faster. PS - word to the wise; if you're angling to anoint yourself moral guardian on behalf of all the cat lovers here only one of which found time to comment on the case of seriously ill Jason Lumb battling to keep his benefits) you might want to consider that lousy spelling and frankly bonkers punctuation really are the cyber equivalents of crooked teeth and bad breath. Just a thought.Nob off wind up merchant! Yes animal cruelty is one of the few subjects that get me going. But you can go home now, happy in the knowledge you've wound someone up for the day. But the truth is, you can call me all the names you want, but you are the **** that hides behind the keyboard, theres no chance youd do it to my face whimp!
Tom, York says...
4:12pm Thu 15 May 08
Lamplighter, says...
5:50pm Thu 15 May 08
But I hope to god people like Tom who actively advocate animal cruelty a slow and painful death.You know my stance on threatening people Akuma, but I wholeheartedly agree with the rest!
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Black kittens Banjo, Mandolin and Bazouki, who are among many black cats at the Cats Protection centre, in Huntington
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h, says...
9:39am Thu 15 May 08