Happy Halloween!

Today marks the thirty first day of October.  The other 30 days of October are nice and all, but it just seems like the only reason they're there is so you can have enough time to plan for your Halloween costume. 

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But here at The Mew Crew, we decided to launch Black Cat Awareness Month during a time when most rescues and shelters are putting the smack down on people trying to adopt black cats.  We thought this was a great time of year to highlight the coolness of these all black gems versus hide them. 

Black cats are cool, not scary.  They are unique, not boring.  They are funny, not dull.  They are special, not drab.  And they are awesome, not evil. 

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We hope we've changed or enlightened a few minds about black cats or even just cats in general.  We hope we also created a few posts that made you laugh.  And maybe we even made some that made you want to adopt a black cat.  We highly recommend choosing a black cat as your new forever companion.

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And with this 31st post in the month of October, we are closing the curtain on BCAM 2010.  Time to round up a few human members of The Mew Crew and get in a little trick or treating fun before the night is over.  Woot!

The Mew Crew wishes everyone and their furry companions a safe and Happy Halloween! 

Happy Shadoween!

Shadow is really excited today!  Besides the fact that he cannot wait for Halloween tomorrow, he is also excited that it's another Shadowy Saturday.  (He really is getting quite an ego with all this attention.  It's okay, we're letting him just run with it for now.  Or at least until November 1.)

He's so excited. And by "excited" we mean "sleepy".

In preparation, Shadow has decided to snuggle up to his human and catch a little nap.  Aww.  After all, he'll have plenty of time tomorrow when he can run around and terrorize things, mostly his toys and his brother.   He trained hard all week by doing a few reps of his best Halloween cat pose. 

Since Shadow is busy napping, we decided it might be best to let his human have a chance to say something....

Shadow is more than just a name to describe this all black cat's appearance.

When he was a kitten, he would hide in a variety of places to ambush your feet; in a cabinet, under a chair or in a dimly lit corner... but sometimes, literally in plain sight. Usually, this would involve curling up on a black backpack, sweatshirt or anything else that happened to be on the floor.

A polaroid of Shadow hiding.

I wish I could say I had a good picture of this, but like any good ninja he was very hard to see, and pictures of all black cats on black objects are almost impossible to take well. Its like trying to find whipped cream in a snowstorm, or a spoonful of mustard on a taxi.

Shadow actually went a few weeks before he had a name, it wasn't until he got used to his surroundings that he would even come out to play... he would only eat when nobody was watching.

I'd urge anyone who has a shy newly adopted kitty to give them a chance, as this little guy is one of the friendliest cats you could ask for now that he loves his new home.

Wow...that's a great endorsement for all black cats, isn't it?  Give a black cat a chance to warm your heart and amazing things can happen. 

So remember in yesterday's post where we said we had one final marketing thing up our sleeves?  Well in honor of Halloween and Shadowy Saturday, The Mew Crew is dropping their adoption fees on all black and even partially black cats to just $31.  (We didn't think of it first, but it's a cool idea and we're running with it!)

Doesn't it sound like a great weekend to start the adoption on a black kitty?   Email us today at mewcrew [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com to find your new all (or partially) black kitty!

Only one more day left in Black Cat Awareness Month.  Have you caught up on all the other posts?  Sounds like a cool way to spend your Saturday to us!

Black cats are bionic.

Have you met Oscar yet?  He is an awesome black cat that humans fought to give a second chance when most others would have just put him down.

We don't know who took this photo, but thank you.

The above picture is not photoshopped.  The cat really does have two little special implants where his hind feet once were.  Chances are you may have already heard the story of this special kitty with the bionic legs, and since Oscar is all black, we thought we'd give this speical kitty his own feature during Black Cat Awareness Month.

Some of the mega animal rights organizations would say that giving Oscar new legs is cruel.  We know a majority of shelters and many vets would probably decided for a grim ending for him, too.  It's great that several smart vets in the UK decided to give this lovable kitty a chance.

And we agree because we recognize Oscar as a special cat.  A cool, all black, bionic very special kind of cat.  Not giving him a chance to recover in the fullest manner possible would have been the cruel option here.  We think it gives him a new lease on life that is just so heart warming.  Turns out, Oscar managed to charm a few hearts, too.

Read the full BBC article on Oscar here.

We hope Oscar's humans are taking full advantage of his uniqueness this Halloween.  He could be a pirate.  Or maybe the Terminator.  Or Robo-Cat. There's options, man...options.

Adopting black cats during Halloween.

Apparently reduced adoption fees and promotion of black cats during October has ruffled a few feathers lately.  And The Mew Crew can understand why.  Many rescuers are so busy trying to ward off the bad guys all year long that they can't handle the extra stress that may come during October which is an already busy month for adoptions.  So it may just be easier to declare persona non gratis on anyone seeking a black cat during that time.


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But advocates for black cat adoptions in October say it's a time that should not be missed.  The Mew Crew definitely feels strongly about doing your best to both protect and promote cats, but definitely giving some extra help for the often under-valued black cats.  That is what Black Cat Awareness Month is all about!

With animal advocates seeming divided on the issue of whether neighbors and local psychopaths pose a real danger or are just an urban legend, what is one supposed to think?  Clearly there are strong points on each side and wouldn't these people then be an all around threat?  Yes, yes they would.

If "the public" can't be trusted to adopt black cats around Halloween, then why exactly are you letting them feed candy to your children? - Ryan Clinton, No Kill Advocate

Well said, Ryan.
 
The Mew Crew always advocates keeping any kitty inside during October and to be guarded with your black cat year round.  We also warn adopters that neighbors are the biggest enemy to their pet, even more so than a passing car or stray animal.  There are cats that live perfectly healthy and long lives after having recovered from an accident or being diagnosed with diseases such as FIV and FELV.  But a cat has a rare chance of making it through being maliciously poisoned by a neighbor or seized by animal control.

All too often neighbors will use animal control to solve personal issues with each other.  The poor companion animals are caught in between and local municipalities are happy to allow animal control agencies to be the decider in these cases.  John Q. Public rarely has any idea what lies in wait for the neighborhood cat once it's on animal control's radar.  And then of course there are just far too many stories which never make it into the news about neighbors trying to harm a friendly outdoor or feral kitty. 

In reality, a little kindness to both humans and animals goes a long way.

...oh and marketing.  Marketing definitely goes a long way.  We have one final marketing trick up our sleeve for the end of BCAM!  So stay tuned.

Martha Stewart likes black cats.

Okay we haven't interviewed Martha personally, but today one of her email blasts featured a black cat halloween mask. 



There's still time before Halloween to make your own black cat mask.  Modeling it after your favorite all black kitty friend sounds like a great way to celebrate Black Cat Awareness Month to us!

What is a Basement Cat to do after Halloween?

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With all these Black Cat Awareness Month posts, have we convinced you that black cats are super awesome yet?   

If you want to adopt a black cat, email us at mewcrew [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com to start the adoption process.

Black cats aren't evil.

We have yet to figure out why, in 2010, the verdict is still out on black cats for many potential pet owners.

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We think it's just time to let all those old, silly  black cat superstitions go.  As we are nearing the end of Black Cat Awareness Month, we hope that we are changing a few minds out there.  We really want to see black cats being recognized for the loving and super cool pets that they really are.

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Are you a reformed black cat hater?  Email us with your stories of how you learned to love a black cat at mewcrew [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com.

And on the seventh day...

It's Sunday and some of the humans of The Mew Crew managed to take a little time off to enjoy their day of rest.  Here's a recap of today as told in Basement Cats.

First, we're sure everyone started the day out right...

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And then there was catching up on a few unfinished projects...

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And spending a little time in the kitchen making some good, fall-inspired foods...

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Several were planning on doing a little outdoor fall decorating...


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And others just stayed in to catch up on some cleaning...

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Or tackle a little laundry...

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While using their favorite tunes to distract during all the dirty work...

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And what Sunday isn't complete without a little cat nap...

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Ahh...what a satisfying Sunday!

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Got a little spare time on Sunday?  Why not catch up on the other Black Cat Awareness Month posts!

Shadow can has lolcat?

So Shadow told his human that he thought for this week's Shadowy Saturday post, it would be good if he was turned into a lolcat.  He got really jealous when he heard a whole bunch of other black lolcats were about to be featured on the blog.  He wants to be a lolcat so bad.

After he walked back and forth infront of the monitor a few times (and then finally just laid down on the keyboard), the human decided he needed to comply with Shadow's demands.

And now here's Shadow's first ever lolcat...

Shadow insisted he get final approval, but wandered off to go take a nap before the human even finished.  Silly Shadow.

What are you doing today?  We highly recommend catching up on the other Black Cat Awareness Month posts.

Black cats are Basement Cats.

If you've been on the internet any time between now and 1999, chances are you've seen a lolcat.  And they crack us up over here at The Mew Crew.

Ever seen the one with a cat sticking its head out of a hole in the ceiling?  Good!  Because that is known as Ceiling Cat.

And since clearly you've not been living in a hole for the past decade, then chances are you've already seen Basement Cat, too.  This is a funny joke that plays on the superstition that black cats are evil.  You'll often see lolcat pics that feature Basement Cat versus Ceiling Cat.

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It seems that black cat owners are often the first ones to joke about the evilness of their pet.  And by evilness we mean mischievousness.  And by mischievousness we mean hilariousness.  So please don't think that just because the humans of The Mew Crew find laughing about Basement Cats funny that suddenly we've succumbed to the prejudices that often surround black cats.  After all, we are paying tribute to the awesomeness of black cats all month long with Black Cat Awareness Month.

Here's one of our favorite Basement Cat lolcats.


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Do you have any cute stories about your Basement Cat?  We want to know.  Send us an email at mewcrew [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com and share your silly Basement Cat stories with us.

Black cats are art.

Want a cool way to honor your black cat for Black Cat Awareness Month?  Why not get your favorite black kitty immortalized in art!

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Recently we stumbled upon Baltimore photographer and artist Robert McClintock's collection of cat art and couldn't help but fall in love with his series on black cats.

Or what about celebrating BCAM with some marvelous pet photography of your favorite black kitty?

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DC Area pet photographer Lisa Solomon will definitely be able to capture some gorgeous photos showing off how beautiful your all black kitty really is.

Or maybe you'd like to have your kitty turned into a plush art piece?

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The pictures of Etsy seller Peachy Paw's creations are so cute!  Imagine that little plush critter sitting on your desk at work?  Yeah, we know...your coworkers would probably think you were one of those nutty Cat People, but flaunting your love for black cat is what BCAM is all about, right?

Doing anything to celebrate your black cat this October?  Send us an email at mewcrew [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com and let us know.

Black cats are house ninjas.

Just look at how well they can hide...

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That's very ninja-like to us!

Black cats make great lolcats.

Today's Black Cat Awareness Month features a new lolcat that appeared on Teh Internets today.

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See?  Black cats are cute AND funny.

Think of all the opportunities you'd have to make your own lolcats if you had a black cat in your house.  Don't you want to adopt a black cat today?

Email us at mewcrew [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com to inquire about our super awesome black cats that are ready for adoption.

Hello, my old friend.

Muggy had another visit from her friend Mr. Stink Bug.  We didn't tell Muggy that it probably really wasn't Mr. Stink Bug. Sorta like when parents don't tell their kids that they had to swap out a "sleeping" hamster with a new one.

"Can we let him in, pleeeeeeaaase?"

(Wow...making 31 posts for Black Cat Awareness Month is going to be pretty tough, but we're stickin' to it!)

Black cats like Domo.

And it seems like Domo really likes black cats, too.  He's totally getting into the spirit of Black Cat Awareness Month.  Just check out Domo hanging out with his black cat buddy, Samson.  

First time visitor to The Mew Crew blog?  Then check out what Black Cat Awareness Month is all about.

Shadow loves lamp.

Hey, it's Saturday again and as you know what time it is!  It's Shadowy Saturday!

We've pledged every Saturday as a tribute to a little (...okay big) kitty named Shadow during Black Cat Awareness Month.  He's furry, he's funny and he has an Ikea lamp addiction. 

Uhh...what?



Behold...The Lamp!

Yes, an Ikea lamp. Similar to how humans may have their favorite chair, Shadow has his favorite Ikea lamp.

It started when he was just a young whipper snapper.  Like many kitties that are introduced to their new forever home, he chose a comfort spot and it just so happened to be a lamp.  It's a pretty good choice actually because it looks just like a hammock on the top.  And it also satisfies his need to survey his surroundings, be closer to his humans and also glare smugly at his little brother.

It is truly Shadow's Favorite Thing. 

'Sup.

The lamp is where he goes when he's taunting his brother.  It's where he goes when he likes to take a nap.  He will run and jump at the lamp during play times, clinging to it as his own little mountain of safety.  And yes, if he's not careful he can accidentally knock it over. His little brother TG also has also been caught red-pawed trying to pull it over.  (He'll reach up with all ten claws and then yank and the whole thing just topples over.)  We suppose that's just how bonded kitties do.

Let's check out a few of Shadow's many poses in The Lamp.

He's laying on his back looking at the camera upside down.

Totally paws up.

And then he rolls over...

And sets his laser eyes to "stun"!

Shadow trains his laser eyes on TG.

And then he sleeps...

...on his face.

Every once in a while Shadow will choose something else to sleep in.

"Why is this box empty!? You trying to starve us!!!!!"

And like every big brother, he gives his hand-me-downs to TG.

Little Brudder.

But not his lamp, where he spends most of his time just chillin'.

"Mine!"

You may be able to see that Shadow doesn't fit in The Lamp so well anymore.  We'll blame this on his astounding achievements with a homemade foraging toy. 

And sadly, the lamp has seen better days.  You can see how it's gettin' its lean on in the next photo.

Now lean back, lean back, lean back...

Due to it being his favorite Favorite Thing, the internal tube structure is a little bent.  It no longer sits straight, is level or turns on, neither of which deters Shadow.  Many times his humans have come home to find him perched in his lamp that had been knocked over and is leaning at almost 45 degrees.  So it's now been pushed up against another piece of furniture and secured at the bottom so it won't topple over when he gets in it.  And he is very appreciative if you extend a helping hand to steady him from swaying back and forth while he gets in it.

Good thing Shadow's humans have several more spare Lamps just waiting.  But they are totally prepared to get creative with some Ikea furniture because they dread the day they have to tell him that his Lamp has gone to the big littler box in the sky.

Where's the love?

The Saint Cloud Times ran an article yesterday titled "Black dogs, cats often overlooked in favor of lighter-colored counterparts." 

In the article, they interview Frances Smith, Director of the Labrador Retriever Club, Inc. of the Twin Cities:

There may be some relation to temperament and coat color in cats. “If you talk to 100 veterinarians, they will all tell you that calico or tortoise shell cats tend to be more timid,” Smith says, “but some of the nicest cats I’ve met are black cats.”

This is the kind of message The Mew Crew can really support!

Geez, now if we can just get Vets to start telling people this.  We just don't understand why black cats can't shake this bad reputation!

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The article goes on to cite a study that was done in 2002 which documents that there are more black animals that go unadopted and that there is such a thing as black dog and cat syndrome.

So now we ask you, have you loved a black cat today?

Learn more about the awesomeness of black cats by checking out the other posts for Black Cat Awareness Month.

The value of a (black) cat.

Black Cat Awareness Month continues here with a little feature on the usefulness of cats.



Anyone who has a cat has probably met someone who doesn't like cats and is quite vocal about it.  These anti-feline nay-sayers may say that cats are unlovable or aren't useful.  They think all cats do is scratch people and sleep on the couch.  They'll say things like "a good cat is a dead cat" or "the only way I'd get a cat is if I can feed it to my dog."



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Sound familiar?

Well, unfortunately people hating cats is nothing new.  Although we are dedicating this whole month to changing people's minds about black cats, we are, as a by product, also changing people's minds on all cats. 

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Despite closed minded individuals thinking that cats are just "throw away" animals, we at The Mew Crew realize the value of cats and the priceless contributions that they make, either domesticated or feral, to the local ecosystem and your neighborhood.

Unfortunately, many municipalities and their workers all across the United States treat cats as throw away animals, too.  All but a handful of the county or city shelters across the US are "high kill", meaning anywhere between 60-90% of animals either brought in or seized are euthanized, sometimes within hours (yes, even if it's a lovable little kitten). 

Since black cats are the first usually to be euthanized and the last to be adopted, you can imagine where they fit in within that statistic.

But did you know there is also a war against cats going on right outside your front door?  All too often, your local animal control is called in to solve "nuisance" cat problems by citizens who are uneducated on why the kitty who roams through their yard is providing them a tremendous benefit. 

In response, animal control is actually conducting mass trapping/killing of cats in your neighborhood, despite their reluctance to admit it to the public.  Obviously, there is a real cause for social action here, but let's talk about what happens when you start trapping and killing feral and stray cats. 

So what happens to your local ecosystem?

Well, let all of us think back to the year 1232 when, Pope Gregory IX told people that cats were evil and pushed for their extermination.  (It's okay, we don't remember it either.  Whoo, party!) 

Anti-kitty sentiments then ramped up and from roughly 1200-1700 BC/AD and millions of cats were murdered because they were thought to be evil.  Oh and they killed their owners, too, who were often accused of witchcraft. 

What happens when you remove a predator out of the environment folks?  The article "Cats and the Black Plague" states:

Persecution had depleted the supply of domestic cats dramatically, leaving human grain stores unprotected when merchants brought the Plague from Asia to Europe in the form of ship rats with infectious fleas. Rats took over Europe, gobbling the grain and providing homes for the fleas that carried the Black Plague. Without the protection of domestic cats, the rat population multiplied exponentially.

During the Black Plague, one-third of the world's population died from this disease.  Although extermination of cats was only one factor, it was the cats who were keeping the rat population in check.  Unfortunately, no one was keeping the humans in check and humanity learned a giant lesson that time around.

What can your community learn about the usefulness of cats?  What can you teach your friends and family about the feline both in your house and outside in your yard?  You can make a vital difference.

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Read the entire article "Cats and the Black Plague: Persecution of Felines Increased the Death Toll for Humans" and learn more about how cats are valuable as more than just the family pet.

Furry, blurry and cute...and all black.

Do you know what it looks like when a kitty is waiting for you to pick her up?

Aww.  Kitty.

Wherever you go, no matter how busy you are, or how involved you get, there's always a loving face waiting for you.

Catch up on Black Cat Awareness Month here.