Lucky or unlucky?
In Britain a black cat crossing your path is good luck. In much of Europe and America it is the opposite.
Short-haired cats · Time every day
Black cat
A colour, found in many breeds
A sleek cat that is black all over, with golden-yellow eyes.
- Size
- About 25cm at the shoulder; 3.5 to 5kg
- Lives for
- 12 to 16 years
- Suits
- Almost any home
Slinks after you like a shadow. Move your pointer and see.
Good to know
Six things about the black cat
Welcome on ships
Sailors kept black cats aboard for luck, and to deal with the rats.
It rusts in the sun
A black cat that sunbathes a lot can fade to a rusty brown.
Golden eyes
The same pigment that makes the coat black often gives the eyes a deep gold colour.
Last to be chosen
Black cats take longer to find homes from rescue centres than cats of any other colour.
Hard to see
A reflective collar helps drivers to see a black cat at night.
The real thing
Photos of the black cat
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
Looking after one
Care is the same as for any cat: food, water, play, a litter tray and a yearly check with the vet. Keep it in on bonfire night.
Before you get one
If you are choosing from a rescue, give the black ones a second look. They are no different in temper, and wait the longest.
Keep going