Ikea‘s new Halloween-themed range sparked an idea: what about helping older black cats find homes?
With kitten season expected to pressure cat rescues across New Zealand from November, Ikea has teamed up with Auckland-based Gutter Kitties to draw attention to the number of older black cats in foster care waiting to be adopted.
While kittens are often snapped up quickly, black cats can wait months for adoption. Superstitions and a preference for younger pets work against them.
Ikea New Zealand is hoping to change the potential pets’ luck. The furniture store will cover adoption fees for up to 20 black cats adopted through Gutter Kitties this Halloween.
Halloween’s unofficial mascot
The pet rescue organisation currently has 140 cats and kittens in its care, with more than 100 kittens expected before the end of summer. Half of the cats currently in care are black or black and white.
“Black cats are often the last to be adopted, which is a real shame because they’re some of the most affectionate cats we see,” says Danielle Dickie, founder of Gutter Kitties.
“They’re the unofficial mascots of Halloween, but old superstitions still stick. Halloween feels like the right time to celebrate them and help them find a home of their own,” says Dickie.
“It was a shock to discover that black cats can struggle to get adopted in New Zealand due to Halloween-esque superstitions about them,” says Ikea NZ. “So we decided this was exactly the right time to flip that idea and to raise awareness of what beautiful pets these special cats can make.
A companion for life
Tracy Morris has fostered more than 200 cats through Gutter Kitties. She hopes that the black cats currently curled up at home will soon become someone else’s beloved companion for life.
Jasmin and Malificent, four-year-old black cats, have been waiting months for a permanent home.
“Both of them are at the door when I get home,” says Morris. “Fostering is the best job in the world, but Jasmin and Malificent deserve a family of their own. I wish more people could see what lovely cats they are.”
A Halloween boost for black cats
“Home is where everyone should feel they belong, and that includes our four-legged family members. Adopting a pet is a big decision, and we fully support Gutter Kitties’ focus on finding the right match, not simply finding a home quickly.”
Every prospective adopter must go through Gutter Kitties’ usual adoption process, including meeting the cat and discussing their home, lifestyle and ability to commit to the ongoing costs of cat ownership.
“Rescue cats need a special kind of person,” says Dickie. “Someone willing to put in a bit of time and effort while they settle in. But the reward is huge. Once they ‘click’ in their new home, you’ll have a loyal, loving companion for life.”
All cats go to their new homes desexed, microchipped and registered on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register. They are also vaccinated and up to date with flea and worm treatments.
Ikea’s Kustfyr range features classic Halloween motifs including ghosts, pumpkins, bats, spiders and, of course, plenty of black cats.
The post Ikea and Gutter Kitties help black cats find homes this Halloween appeared first on stoppress.co.nz.
Discussion about this post