Black Cat Abuse and Pet Safety at Halloween

Tippy - One of the Homeless Colony

Grizzly - One of the Homeless Colony

Locally, I have heard from animal rescue agency people that there is enough possibility of abuse of black cats in our town that they won't allow black cats at adoption events around Halloween. There are now 5 black cats in my homeless colony. There is another one who lives nearby who used to be in our colony but prefers being fed by a neighbor. I always get nervous for these 6 cats around Halloween. But I think it is more likely they will get killed by a coyote than a perverse human.

The idea of someone abducting or torturing a cat for some sick reason makes my blood boil. According to part of the article at the following link, black cat torture is mostly done by psychopaths, less so by Satanists. But who knows whether these folks have all the facts. Anyway, it's an interesting read.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallocat.htm

On a lighter note, here is an article with suggestions for pet safety in the coming season, including dogs. Many of you will find interesting, informative and hopefully useful for yourself or for others.

 .. this is the link where I found it
 http://www.care2.com/greenliving/protect-pets-on-halloween.html#

By Hilary Stamper, Environmental Activism Manager, Care2.com

"The following is a list of precautions suggested and recommended by numerous animal shelters and veterinarians designed to keep pets safe on Halloween.

NOISES and STRANGE STRANGERS:

Trick or treaters can cause loud and excessive noise and frighten your pet, so try to keep your pets inside in a quiet room where they are insulated from the Halloween rukus. : )

Pets, especially dogs, that are easily excitable or threatened by strangers should be kept from the front door so they cannot bite anyone or run into the street. With many people visiting the home in strange attire, even normally calm pets might overreact.

Keep pets on a shorter-than-normal leash if you plan on walking outside on Halloween. Again, scary and weird looking trick-or-treaters could provoke aggression in even the nicest pet.

KISS OF DEATH

Candy, especially chocolate, is toxic for animals and can cause vomiting, restlessness, heart disturbances, and even death. Ask kids not to share candy with pets.

CANDLES

Be careful with lit pumpkins and candles because pets can knock them over and start a fire. Therefore ensure that all burning objects are out of pet’s reach. Remember that cats can jump high, and birds can fly, so try to confine a pet if it demonstrates an “unhealthy” interest in flames (e.g. it puts its paws in lit pumpkins or tries to play with candles).

PETS IN DISGUISE

Avoid costumes held in place by rubber bands, which can be uncomfortable and, more important, rubber bands mistakenly left on a pet can quickly burrow into the animal’s skin and cause injury. Additionally, rubber bands in the wrong place can choke a bird.

If a pet wears a costume, make sure it is not constricting, causing your pet to trip, or blocking its vision. Do not force a pet to wear a costume if it demonstrates discomfort. All of the above can cause undue stress and possibly cause aggression in even the nicest dog, goldfish, or iguana.

EVIL IN THE NIGHT

Don’t leave pets outside on Halloween. Many animals disappear as pranksters and those with darker intentions tease, abduct, torture, or even kill pets.

Be especially watchful of black cats, who which are frequent targets of cruel activities on Halloween. Try to keep black cats inside for the week of Halloween. Many animal shelters make black cats unavailable for adoption the week before Halloween because of black cat abuse."


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/protect-pets-on-halloween.html##ixzz10BwtCVoQ