1. They can change color
Black cats with tabby stripe genes who enjoy resting in the sun can actually change color! They will turn a brown color from the sun’s rays that break down their coat pigment!
2. They are actually adopted just as often as other cats
You have probably heard that black cats are adopted less than others. However, this is a myth! According to data compiled by the ASPCA, in a review of 14 regions of the U.S. and about 300,000 dogs and cats up for adoption, the study found that black cats accounted for 31 percent of cat adoptions, whereas grey cats accounted for 20% and brown cats accounted for 18%!
3. Golden eyes
Black cats typically have such captivating golden eyes due to Melanism. Their high levels of melanin cause their irises to be yellow!
4. They are less susceptible to disease
According to research at the National Institutes of Health, the gene that causes their black coat may protect them from diseases. This mutation actually influences the same gene that offers HIV resistance to humans.
5. Good luck
During the middle ages, Europeans began believing that black cats were bad luck. The old women who would feed them were thought of as “witches”. However, in Italy, Japan, Asia, and Russia black cats are considered to be good luck!
