Black Cat Adoption in Melbourne

Why black cats are overlooked

Rescues across the world report the same pattern: black cats are the most common colour in their care and the slowest to be adopted. Two things drive it, and neither is the cat's fault.

Superstition. An old myth in parts of Europe and the United States wrongly links black cats to bad luck. It is worth saying plainly that this is nonsense, and that in the United Kingdom, Japan, Scotland and much of the world a black cat is considered good luck and a bringer of prosperity. A cat's coat colour has no bearing on its temperament, health or fortune.

Photography. The more practical reason is that black fur is genuinely hard to photograph. In a shelter photo a black cat's features can disappear into a dark shape, where a tabby or ginger photographs with contrast and catches the eye, so black cats get scrolled past online before anyone meets them. We cover how to take a good photo of a black cat below, because better photos get overlooked cats noticed.

What black cats are actually like

Black is a coat colour, not a breed or a personality. Black cats in Melbourne rescue are almost all domestic short-hairs and long-hairs, the ordinary moggies that make up the great majority of rescue cats, and they come in the full range of natures: bold and playful, quiet and cuddly, chatty, shy, and everything in between. Some have a glossy jet coat, others a soft sheen, and in strong sun many reveal faint tabby ghost markings. A few pedigree breeds come in solid black too, such as the sleek Bombay, bred to resemble a small panther, but the black cats you will meet in rescue are lovable everyday cats.

Because there are so many, you have real choice. Rather than holding out for a particular look, tell the rescue what kind of personality and energy level suits your home, and let them match you with the right cat. The rescue's assessment of how a cat behaved in foster care tells you far more than its colour ever could.

Where to adopt a black cat in Melbourne

Every general cat rescue around Melbourne tends to have black cats waiting. These are the main groups:

• RSPCA Victoria runs adoption centres at Burwood East and RSPCA Peninsula at Pearcedale, with published cat fees and frequent reduced-fee promotions. Browse at rspcavic.org.
• Lort Smith runs an adoption centre at Campbellfield with its own animal hospital behind every cat, at lortsmith.com.
• The Lost Dogs' Home, the long-established North Melbourne shelter, rehomes cats as well as dogs, at dogshome.com.
• Animal Aid at Coldstream and the Australian Animal Protection Society at Keysborough rehome cats across the outer east and south-east, at animalaid.org.au and aaps.org.au.
• Second Chance Animal Rescue, a Victorian foster-based rescue, lists cats at secondchanceanimalrescue.com.au.

Many of these rescues also appear on PetRescue, and LocalPetFinder brings Melbourne listings together so you do not have to check each site by hand. Browse the black cats currently listed from Melbourne rescues on the Melbourne black cat listings, and for the full process read our Melbourne cat adoption guide.

What it costs

Adopting is cheaper than any other route, and the cat arrives already vetted. RSPCA Victoria publishes adult cat fees of $145 to $400 and kitten fees of $235 to $400, with seniors often free, and other Melbourne rescues sit in a similar range. Because black cats are so common in rescue, shelters frequently discount them or run two-for-one promotions, so it is always worth asking. That fee covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, a FIV check, worming, flea treatment and a vet check, which is why a rescue black cat works out cheaper than a free kitten you then have to desex, vaccinate and microchip yourself. Our Melbourne cat adoption costs guide breaks down setup and yearly costs.

Victorian rules for a new cat owner

The governing law is the Domestic Animals Act 1994, administered through Agriculture Victoria, and the rules are the same for every cat. Cats aged three months and over must be registered with your local council, renewing each year by 10 April, and a desexed and microchipped cat attracts a substantially reduced fee set by your council. A cat registered with a Victorian council for the first time must already be microchipped, and a rescue cat arrives chipped, so just move the record into your name. Many Victorian councils also set cat curfews or containment rules, so check yours. If you buy privately rather than adopt, remember that a Victorian seller must display the cat's microchip number and a Pet Exchange Register source number in the advertisement.

Indoor living and Melbourne weather

Most Melbourne rescues adopt cats out to live indoors or with contained outdoor access, which protects them from cars, fights and theft and keeps them safe, and a black cat is as easy to keep happy indoors as any other with a cat tree, window perches, play and company. On Melbourne's heatwave days above 40 degrees keep your cat inside in the coolest room with water and airflow, and remember that a black coat absorbs heat in strong sun, so a shady, cool spot matters. Our indoor versus outdoor cats guide covers setting up a safe, interesting indoor home.

How to photograph a black cat

If you foster or rehome cats, good photos genuinely change how fast a black cat finds a home, and the same tricks help you capture your own once it is settled in. The key is light. Shoot in soft, bright, indirect daylight, next to a window on an overcast day is ideal, and avoid both a dark room and a harsh flash, which flattens the fur into a black shape.

• Use a lighter background. A cream blanket or a pale wall stops the cat disappearing.
• Focus on the eyes. A black cat's eyes catch the light and bring the whole photo to life, so make them sharp.
• Get to eye level and take plenty of shots, because black fur photographs unpredictably and only some of them will be keepers.
• Catch a sunbeam. A shaft of window light across the coat reveals the sheen and any ghost tabby markings.

Choosing the right black cat for you

Because black cats are so plentiful in rescue, you can choose on personality rather than looks, which is exactly how you should choose any cat. Tell the rescue about your household, how busy it is, whether there are children or other pets, and whether you want a playful cat or a lap cat, and let them point you to the black cats whose temperament fits. Consider an adult, since adults wait longest, and consider a bonded pair, since two black cats that already live together keep each other company and are often adopted out at a reduced combined fee.

Whatever you choose, read the foster notes closely, meet the cat, and judge it on how it is with you, not on the colour of its coat. Adopting a black cat is an ordinary, wonderful thing to do, and because these are the cats the world keeps overlooking, it is also one of the most worthwhile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep reading