NEW YORK – Don’t worry if a black cat crosses your path, they are more likely to bring you Good luck instead of bad luck. According to a recent survey of 2,000 American cat owners, only 21% believe black cats bring bad luck, while nearly twice as many (41%) associate them with good fortune.
At least one pop culture stereotype is true, however, and that is that black cats really like to talk. In fact, half of black cat keepers describe their pet as “extremely vocal” (48%), compared to only a third (36%) of the overall panel. Bat cat owners consider them as “affectionate” (63%) and “inquisitive” (66%) as the average cat.
Conducted by OnePoll and ACANA Pet Food ahead of National Black Cat Day (October 27), the survey also looked for patterns and similarities not only in cat behavior, but also among their owners. Contrary to common stereotypes, owners of black cats do not prefer the actual color black more than everyone else, although they are significantly less likely to cite white as their favorite color (28% vs. 32%).
When it comes to their own personality, black cat owners believe themselves to be more “extremely shy” (40% vs. 24%), “extremely introverted” (32% vs. 21%) and “extremely quirky” (25% vs. 18% ). %) that others.
Speaking of “quirky,” black cat owners are a bit more gullible toward the supernatural, including ghosts (61% vs. 59%), cryptids (48% vs. 43%), and aliens (50% vs. 48 %).
Black Cats and Halloween Always Go Together
Less surprisingly, respondents were even more likely to cite Halloween as their favorite holiday if they owned a black cat (25% vs. 21%) – although Christmas (32%) and Thanksgiving (28%) still rank first and second place, respectively.
“Movie portrayals and unfounded stereotypes and superstitions have not always cast a positive light on black cats,” Billy Frey, director of marketing for ACANA cat food, said in a statement. “However, with a few precautions – like keeping them indoors at night, especially around Halloween when their natural camouflage against cheaters can put them at risk – cat lovers agree that black cats do wonderful pets for life.”
With that in mind, it’s no wonder that black cat owners are even more likely to keep their cats as indoor pets only (37% vs. 27%).
Regardless of fur color, 76% of cat owners say their feline friend has dramatically improved their lives, and 77% consider their cat to be as important as any family member.
“The truth is that while a cat’s appearance may contribute to certain stereotypes, it doesn’t affect the impact they have on their human counterparts,” Frey adds. “Cat lovers know that a warm home and proper care and nutrition will produce unconditional love and companionship from cats of all shapes, sizes and colors.”
Survey methodology:
This random, double-consent survey of 2,000 U.S. cat owners was commissioned by ACANA® between August 26 and August 29, 2022. It was conducted by market research firm OnePoll, whose members of the team are members of the Market Research Society and are members of a company. at the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).