Is My Wife Paranoid About Our Black Cat and Halloween?

We have had a black cat in our family of cats for the last 20 years or so, and every year my wife makes a fuss about letting our Black Cat, Binks, (before that it was our 23 year old Black Cat, Pete!) outside to venture during the week or so before Halloween. She is sure that Satanists and other people of their ilk search high and low to find Black Cats to torture and sacrifice during Halloween.

  There are plenty of urban legends about things like this, but has anyone ever actually encountered anything like this? I have heard these stories for decades and our previous black cat, Pete, was bought just to prove the point that you can buy/adopt black cats during Halloween...the prohibition of selling black cats during Halloween being another urban legend related to the first. I know that some people do abuse black cats more than others, but is this sick behavior more common during Halloween? Binks constantly goes between inside and outside...should I be worried? I live in a fairly rural area and don't have any witch covens in the immediate area, to the best of my knowing.

Jim

I am on your wife's side here, there are some strange people around.  I know it's customary for rescues in this area to not let people take home a black cat the week of Halloween.  They can be adopted but the rescue will keep them until the week after Halloween.

Me too (on your wife's side).     I have an all black cat and two tuxedos who are indoor/outdoor but I keep them all indoors for a few days around Halloween. 

My cats are indoor only; but I consider this a "better safe than sorry" scenario.  There have been cases reported in our local news in the past; not limited to cats but also dogs and farm animals.  I have also heard confirmation from people I know who work with law enforcement.  My mother's cats like to go out; but not this time of year!

Here is a discussion we had on it not too long ago: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/306061/cats-and-halloween-is-it-really-dangerous

I wish I had not seen something done to a black cat at Holloween.  Please keep them inside.

I'm a worrywart so I'd definitely keep my cats inside. On another note, I'm not sure about the prevalence of witchcraft or anything like that, but I'd be wary of "normal" people. I live in a college town and have heard of people jumping on top of parked cars and kicking peoples bikes for fun. Ugh. I've also heard (through internet stories so not sure about validity) of people throwing cats out of their cars and shooting random loose cats that are roaming. I guess this isn't related to Halloween per se, but I definitely don't trust strangers with leaving my cats alone.

Absolutely! You wife is doing the right thing!  

There is another thread that was started a while ago asking the same thing - here is the link: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/306061/cats-and-halloween-is-it-really-dangerous

While there are some stories out there that might be told just for drama, I will tell you that there are many more stories that are very true. And those are the ones we hear about and get reported - how many 'incidents' happen that no one knows about?

Just two weeks ago, in Cincinnati, Ohio (U.S.) it was on the news that the police found a cat in a park at 1:00 A.M. on a Monday morning. The cat was an orange and white tabby - not black. He was also neutered, indicating he was most likely someone's pet. His skull was crush and his neck broken. He had been skinned from the neck to his lower torso and attached to a cross made out of tree limbs by black ribbon and duct tape. 

There was no evidence of a satanic ritual. So, tell me what kind of sick, sadistic cretin would do this to ANY animal? It DOES happen! And, unfortunately, it happens more often during the Halloween season because ... because why? Maybe because there is always so much talk about it during this time? Maybe because some aimless kids are pressured into participating in some sick fun by their peers as a joke? Who knows what triggers people to do some of the hideous things they do? What matters is that they do them! What matters even more is the we KNOW they do them. So, it is my opinion that, as pet owners/advocates, it is OUR responsibility to protect our pets! 

Urban legend or reality - why would you take a 50/50 chance of having your cat hit, kicked, tortured, brutalized or killed by some depraved lunatic? Keep your cat INDOORS for the entire month of October! 

JMarkitell said:

 
She is sure that Satanists and other people of their ilk search high and low to find Black Cats to torture and sacrifice during Halloween.

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Unfortunately your wife is right.  Many shelters refuse to adopt out black cats in the weeks prior to Halloween for that very reason. There are some pretty sick people in this world.  I'm with your wife, keep your baby inside. In fact, your baby should be kept inside all of the time as it is safer for him. 

It is always good to be careful. People can been really bad and strange and I thin your wife is doing good about trying to protect your cat. I had a black cat and I know how strange was people reacting on him. Careful is good to be but not paranoid and I thin your wife is just careful.

My 3 black cats are indoor only. There are sick, twisted people out there 365 days a year. White cats are susceptible to the same at Halloween for some of these psychos. Some look for both. Black dogs face a similar prejudice. I have one of those, too. She was passed over for months at the shelter because of her color. 

It seems that the forum has spoken. Binks was a stray when he came to us...I thought he was feral but he was already fixed but was living like a feral, totally outdoors. We brought him in 2 weeks before our elderly black cat, Pete, passed over the bridge at 23. Binks loves the outdoors and generally stays in the woods behind our house but because of everyone's opinion, he will be staying inside more as Halloween approaches. When Binks comes to me complaining about not being allowed outside, I'm going to point the finger at everyone here and tell him to blame you and not me!!

    I appreciate everyone's advice! As I mentioned earlier, Pete was adopted on Halloween just to prove a point that black cats should be allowed to be adopted on Halloween. He was adopted by my cousin who has passed away, leaving Pete with us as an introduction to black cats. He was a great cat, but aren't they all?

Jim

JMarkitell said:

 
It seems that the forum has spoken. Binks was a stray when he came to us...I thought he was feral but he was already fixed but was living like a feral, totally outdoors. We brought him in 2 weeks before our elderly black cat, Pete, passed over the bridge at 23. Binks loves the outdoors and generally stays in the woods behind our house but because of everyone's opinion, he will be staying inside more as Halloween approaches. When Binks comes to me complaining about not being allowed outside, I'm going to point the finger at everyone here and tell him to blame you and not me!!

    I appreciate everyone's advice! As I mentioned earlier, Pete was adopted on Halloween just to prove a point that black cats should be allowed to be adopted on Halloween. He was adopted by my cousin who has passed away, leaving Pete with us as an introduction to black cats. He was a great cat, but aren't they all?

Jim

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Yeah I would definitely keep him inside. It's for his own safety. He can be mad at us if he wants. We just want him to be safe and healthy. 

All cats are great, that's for sure. All are beautiful and all deserve to be in safe, loving homes regardless of color or breed. 

Sorry, but your wife is 100% right. As you said, we have spoken.

I agree with everyone else on this one, but you know that already if you've read the other thread that was linked to.

On a side note: I happen to know some "witches" (more properly, "Wiccans"). They're very kind and loving people who would never harm a cat. This is certainly not a part of their religion. You're more likely to have problems with Satanists or teenagers, particularly budding sociopaths.

Margret

I think the main concern about shelters not wanting to adopt out black cats this time of year is more to do with them being possibly used as "decorations" than anything to do with satanic rituals. That being said, it's a shame because black cats are the least likely to be adopted out and more are likely to be put to sleep. A black cat in a shelter has a 0% chance of being sacrificed to Satan and a 60% chance of being euthanized. The fear of these cats being ritualistic killed are overblown and ironically result in more of them being put down.

To be honest, I wouldn't let any cat out no matter what their coat colour is, cars and dogs don't discriminate.

Ive only ever had black cats and I would never let them out during oct, your wife is right better safe than sorry... Unfortunately there are sick people out there.

Even the shelter in my area will not adopt out a black cat during this time either

The person house sitting next door let her black cat out two days after Halloween this year.  She found it shot dead.  Please, Please, Please don't let you black cat out anywhere near Halloween!

As for me, I like black cats and I don't trust the urban legends. But people are strange, so you should keep your cat at home on Halloween.

It's so awful how cruel some people are when it comes to black cats. They are beautiful cats and it's so sad to see them abused, but unfortunately it is just the world we live in. I would not let any of my cats outdoors, but especially not on halloween, and black cats always seem to be "targets" during that time of the year.