5 Ways to Celebrate Black Cat Appreciation Day

Today is Black Cat Appreciation Day, a day to celebrate house panthers everywhere and help raise awareness about the hardships they still face. It's time for those silly superstitions dating back to the Middle Ages to be put to rest once and for all!

1) Adopt one! It's no secret that black cats (and dogs) are the last to get adopted and the first to be euthanized in most shelters across the US. If you have room in your heart and home for a new pet, please consider adopting a black cat (or dog) from your local shelter. You will be saving a life.

2) Already live with a black cat? Spoil them even more than you ordinarily do today! Give them an extra hug or kiss, a few more minutes of play or cuddle time, extra treats wouldn't hurt either. Post your favorite pictures of your precious pet on social media to show the world that black cats make purrfect companions too!

3) Find some adoptable black cats on PetFinder and share them online. The Internet has revolutionized the way animal lovers and shelters are able to get the plight of homeless animals to the masses. Every day lives are saved because of people blogging, Facebooking, and tweeting about waifs in need of their forever home.

4) Decorate your home in black cat decor! Christmas is my favorite time of year but Halloween comes a very close second, simply because of the influx of black cat merchandise on store shelves! Yes, I've already been scouring local stores to add to my collection and no, I'm not one of those people disgusted by seeing Halloween even before school starts. I'm over summer...bring it on! Some of the pieces I've bought don't even get put away at the end of the spooky season! Any visitor to my home knows that I love cats of ALL colors.

5) Read a book that celebrates black cats. We got a sneak peek of Black Cats Tell All, the brand new release by Layla Morgan Wilde, cat expert and founder of Cat Wisdom 101. It's a must have for every cat lover's home library, loaded with pawsome stories and stunning full color photos of both famous Internet black cats and the mini panther next door. Three personal favorites are "The Adventures of Willow, the Little Black Cat from Down Under" about an adventure cat who travels Australia with her human in a VW van, "From Frostbite to Warm Love" by blogger Kristin Avery, and "The Legend of Black Lightning, the Crime-Fighting Cat", a hysterical mystery/time travel story by Shalom, one of the mascots of Crazy Cat Lady Ceramics based right here in my home state of Vermont!

At last, a celebration of all that is pawsitively black cat to reverse negative stereotypes. This myth-busting collection narrated by cats will move and amuse you with their tell all stories, fun purrsonality profiles and stunning photos. This full color anthology features over 100 black cats from all over the world including YouTube and Instagram. For black cat lovers, it’s a must-have. It’s the gift which gives twice: pleasure for the reader and helps shelter cats with a portion of the proceeds of this book. 

From famous celebrity cats like Cole of Cole and Marmalade to the cat next door; see them lounging, working, enjoying outdoor adventures, strutting their model poses, playing and celebrating holidays–showcasing the full spectrum of their fascinating lives through four seasons. This book, the first of its kind to change negative black cat superstitions, is a welcome gift for cat lovers everywhere.

Tell us about the special black cat(s) in your life and how you're planning on celebrating today!