Walk
into the Cat Wisma and you might
notice Black Jack, a senior cat who communicates with visitors with his excited
“meows” and he is known to Raymund as the “Talking Cat”.
Black
Jack is 16 years old and being a senior cat, he has only one tooth left but he
is still happy to be able to enjoy the company of his other cat friends or indulge
in his own personal time lazing around in the afternoon sun. Black Jack was
adopted by Raymund from Hougang, close to where he grew up.
Raymund
compares Black Jack to that of a typical Singaporean who is not satisfied with
anything and complains all day as he always entertains visitors with his incessant
comical meowing. However, Black Jack is considered a very lucky cat as not many
pet owners like the colour black and this has contributed to them not being always
able to find a permanent home.
The
reality is that many people boycott owning animals that are black due
to superstitious beliefs surrounding them. Shelter workers termed this
phenomenon “Black Dog Syndrome” where black cats and dogs face an uphill task
of finding potential adopters due to their colour. This has made shelters hold
special adoption drives to entice people to adopt these animals.
According to an
article, “It’s
not fur! Meet the cats no one wants- just because they are black. Can you give
any of them a home” by the Daily Mail Online UK last year highlights the
plight of animals that are black in colour who have a hard time finding homes.
At the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London, there is another problem that
comes up which are that black cats are too plain as compared to the many other
interesting colours available and that the colour black is too dull. In a bid
to get people to change their mindset about the colour black, Cats Protection,
a cat charity has launched the National Black Cat Day to raise awareness that
these animals are as cute and charming as other varieties of pets.
Black
cats and dogs are still being unfairly discriminated against but animal welfare
organisations and shelters are doing their best to maintain pet equality among
all animals so that everyone has a chance to find a home. Another aspect would
be that potential adopters need to see pass the outlook of an animal and focus
on the personality and chemistry of the animal which will help in relationship
building between pet and owner.
If
Black Jack could speak, he would probably want all animals to be given equal
treatment and love so that every animal can get that opportunity in finding second
chances and loving owners. To debunk the misconception of the colour of black
that prevents an animal from getting adopted, here are some of the reasons why a black cat make good pets!
- In Ancient Egypt, owning a black cat was
thought to bring good luck.
- Lots of famous cats have been black like those
featured in popular television shows and movies such as The Simpsons and Looney
Tunes.
- Black cats are elegant.
- Black cats are just like any other cats, they
are loving and sweet.
- The colour black goes with everything as it
is a contemporary colour.
On
your next visit to the sanctuary, do remember to visit the Cat Wisma and lookout for Black Jack and his friends who are the entire same unique and
masculine colour. It is important to give all animals, no matter their breed or
colour that equal chance to be loved and accepted which is their one and only
greatest wish.
By Darren Chan
