THE merits of owning monochrome moggies will be celebrated in Warrington this Black Cat Day (October 27) as the charity behind the event reveals that nearly half of all cats in its care are black or black-and-white.
Cats Protection’s annual awareness day, now in its 15th year, has been instrumental in closing the gap in how long black and black-and-white cats were spending in care, compared with other coloured cats, by dispelling myths and championing their cause. Since 2010, it has rehomed a staggering 98,000 black and black-and-white cats. But there are fears that emerging trends in cat ownership could jeopardise this progress.
According to the charity’s Cats and Their Stats Report 2025, one in three 18-34 year olds (31 per cent) now own a cat, with nearly half (49 per cent) choosing a pedigree breed. Within this younger demographic, 15 per cent purchased from a specialist breeder, an increase of 10 per cent on the previous year, along with a marked drop in cat adoption.
Cats Protection Warrington Centre manager, Lindsay Kerr, said: “With so many cats and kittens waiting to be adopted within our centres and volunteer teams, it is frustrating that we are seeing an increase in people buying cats for a particular look, which we believe is largely being driven by social media trends and the hunt for likes.
“But we hear so many stories of people coming into our centres or checking out our website thinking they are looking for a specific type of cat and then surprising themselves by falling in love with one that is the complete opposite. People should keep an open mind when thinking about what type of cat they want; as in human relationships, personality plays a much bigger role in finding the perfect match than looks.”
Among the black cats looking for homes at Cats Protection’s Warrington Cat Centre is Bette, who has been in their care for the past three months. After receiving treatment for a skin condition, she is now ready to find her forever home.
Bette is a loving and friendly cat who arrived after her previous owner could sadly no longer care for her. She’s very affectionate and thrives on attention. She loves giving head bumps, being made a fuss of, and a good cuddle.
Bette also has a lovely meow that she’s proud to show off. She has a confident, playful nature and plenty of love to give to a new family.
She enjoys spending time outdoors, so a home with safe outdoor access would be ideal for her. She does have some medical issues, which the charity is happy to discuss with potential adopters.
