Cats in Animal Shelters: Exploring the Common Perception that BlackCats Take Longer to Adopt

摘要

Secondary analysis of pre-existing data from two Colorado animal shelters was conducted to assess the impactof shelter cats’ coat color on time required for adoption. One shelter included adult cats and kittens, the second shelterincluded kittens only. Results indicated that black cats, regardless of age or sex, require the longest time to adopt. Theyare followed by primarily black cats with other colors. Other color cats take less time to adopt than either black cats orprimary black cats with other colors. This additional time in shelters negatively impacts the health and therefore, thewelfare, of black shelter cats. Factual, rather than anecdotal knowledge about black cat adoption rates may allow sheltersto direct additional resources into strategies designed to increase black cat adoption rates and decrease time black catsspend in shelters.