Somerset: Five black cats are looking for Halloween homes

Black cats are often associated with Halloween, having historically been seen as a sign of witchcraft and the supernatural, however, did you know that according to British folklore they are considered lucky?

Ferne Animal Sanctuary currently has five "fangtastic" black cats in need of a forever (haunted) home:

1. Sika

Sika (Image: Nikki Haddock) Sika is a two-year-old female moggy, described as a “talkative and outgoing girl who just loves people”.

Even though her past is largely unknown, she is comfortable around other cats and would be comfortable to live with children aged eight years and over.

Her favourite things to do are playing, eating and sitting on shoulders meowing.

2. Pickles

Pickles (Image: Nikki Haddock) Pickles is a two-year-old female moggy, described as an “absolutely beautiful little cat” by a spokesperson at Ferne Animal Shelter.

She came to the shelter after being abandoned by her previous owners and because of this she can be a bit shy around new people. However, once she gets to know you she is the purrfect lap cat.

Pickles gets along well with other cats but will thrive with gentle, steady cats who are perhaps a little older than her.

3. Keema

Keema (Image: Nikki Haddock) Keema is another two-year-old female moggy, who arrived with six small kittens in tow after being discovered alone and hungry in a shed.

Now the kittens are all grown-up and Keema is currently enjoying some much-needed rest and relaxation while she waits to go to her forever home.

Described as quite independent but still a lap cat at heart, she loves human interaction and doing her own thing.

A spokesperson for Ferne Animal Sanctuary said: “Keema would like a home with no other pets and no small children, as we don’t know her previous experiences. That being said, we feel she is a gentle girl who would make a fabulous, easy-going companion.”

4. Fallow and Chutney

Fallow and Chutney (Image: Nikki Haddock) Fallow and Chutney are two mischievous moggy siblings who are both less than a year old and wish to be rehomed together.

They are described as “super confident little bundles who love people.”

The spokesperson said: “They need homes away from built up areas and without small children.

“If you’re looking for bonkers, then look no further.”

If you are interested in adopting a cat, or kitten, then go to: https://www.ferneanimalsanctuary.org/animals/cats/

Ferne Animal Sanctuary, located in the Blackdown Hills near Chard, Somerset, has rescued, rehabilitated, or rehomed over 40,000 animals, with more than 300 animals always living at the 72-acre sanctuary at one time and another 200-250 animals successfully rehomed each year.

Ferne Animal Sanctuary has seen many black cats and kittens overlooked due to the superstitions surrounding them and them being seen as unlucky.

Likewise, other “prettier” cats (blue/grey, strikingly marked tabbies in particular) are homed twice as fast.

A spokesperson for Ferne Animal Sanctuary said: “We do see a lot of lovely black cats coming through the Sanctuary and they do indeed take much longer to rehome than the other colours. 

“We even see black kittens being completely overlooked. In fact, because of this, we recently had a litter of black kittens in at the same time as some very pretty blue/greys so we only advertised the black ones as we knew they would have been sat here in the cattery for so much longer.

“There is a lot of superstition around black cats, some believe them to be unlucky. We love them here; they have some of the best temperaments and loveliest personalities which are so well suited to many family homes. We truly hope they find their forever homes this Halloween.”