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Why you should shed your black cat superstition

They may be less popular due to old-fashioned folklore, or simply because some people find them less Instagrammable, but Cats Protection can always find a new home for these felines

Wednesday 29 August 2018 15:59 BST

Cats Protection has been finding new homes for cats in need for in excess of 90 years. And for more than 30 of those, Purina has partnered with the charity, both working under the philosophy that no cat is unadoptable.

Inevitably, though, some varieties of cat will always be rehomed much more quickly than others. Black cats, for instance, tend to be less popular picks for prospective new owners, whether due to old-fashioned superstition or because some people find them less photogenic in our social media-focused age.

But Cats Protection always finds a match eventually, and so it turned out for Coco, whose colour was actually a plus point for Sam and his wife Lara.

“Lara had always wanted a black cat,” Sam recalls. “This came from her childhood love of witches. Her favourite TV show growing up was Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and the witch had a talking black cat as a pet.”

They found they were spoilt for choice when they went to Cats Protection, but quickly Coco caught their eye.

Coco likes to hide around the house

“We could not believe it when Cats Protection told us that many of the cats in their care are actually black,” says Sam. “This made Lara really sad. She made up her mind right there that Coco was going to be ours.”

Sam and Lara’s two young daughters soon warmed to the new arrival, and Coco was soon up to mischief: “Our girls wanted a kitten initially, but they absolutely love her,” adds Sam. “The first day we took her home, she vanished. I couldn’t believe it when we found her in our girls’ room as they are so noisy and manic. In the drawers under their bed, I could just see a little bit of fur snuggled among the fancy dress.”

But it’s Sam who feels he has the closest relationship with the newest member of the family.

“Although Coco is the family cat, I’m definitely her favourite,” he says. “I guess it’s because I feed her in the morning. I do have black hair though, so perhaps she’s adopted me.”

Purina and Cats Protection believe no cat is unadoptable. They are working together to help find every cat their perfect match. If you’re ready to give a cat a loving home go to cats.org.uk/adopt-a-cat

*This content was commissioned and approved by Purina

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