Lunar Moon and A Compassionate Rescue
Everything Goes With Black
With National Black Cat Day approaching, it is the ideal time to spread awareness about how loving, affectionate, and quirky all cats can be – regardless of their appearance.
Unlike their lighter-colored counterparts, black cats in shelters face significant obstacles, including high euthanasia and low adoption rates. Research by Carini, Sinski, and Weber in their study “Coat Color and Cat Outcomes in an Urban U.S. Shelter” found that black cats are often overlooked, which can sadly lead to a higher risk of euthanasia for these animals.
According to an article on DailyMail.com, “Hundreds of black cats are being abandoned by their owners because they don’t look good in selfies.” This highlights how social media trends can impact pet adoption patterns in unexpected ways.
Below, we invite you to bask in the beautiful story of Lunar Moon and her kittens, representatives of the glorious miniature panthers we feel lucky to serve at Baypath!
The Mystical ‘Tail’ of Lunar Moon
One cold January night, a compassionate young woman found herself in a tenuous situation: her new housing did not allow pets, yet she was caring for a pregnant cat and eight newborn kittens. Unwilling to leave them outside in the frigid weather, each night she discreetly brought them indoors. Upon her humane actions being discovered, Baypath was contacted – and quickly stepped in to help.
Cat Programs Coordinator Katie Farrell reached out to experienced cat foster Aurelie, who took in the mother and her four-day-old kittens. Several weeks later, one of the kittens became sick from the mama cat’s milk. Fortunately, the kittens had already started eating solid food, so separating them from their mother wasn’t traumatic – except for one kitten who seemed particularly distressed. Katie provided Aurelie with a stuffed animal whose sound mimicked a heartbeat, which worked like magic! The kitten calmed down almost instantly and fell asleep, a sweet moment Aurelie says she will never forget.
We’ve followed up on Lunar Moon and her eight kittens, and we’re happy to report that they’re all thriving in their new homes. Please read on to find out more about them!
Lunar Moon–Wanda Scarlet Witch
Lunar Moon, now Wanda Maximoff (after the Scarlet Witch from Marvel), has adjusted wonderfully to her new home. Adopter Alex says the two of them are “equally obsessed with each other.” A playful and spunky girl, Wanda is always ready to let Alex know exactly what she wants – and she usually gets it!
Recently, Wanda was diagnosed with environmental allergies, leading to the start of immunotherapy—just like Alex, who jokes that it “must be genetics!” Thankfully, it’s not a food allergy, and Wanda remains happily obsessed with treats and loves watching (and jumping at) birds from the window.
“Whether she’s playing with toy mice in her tunnel or cuddling up close, she’s brought so much joy into my life.” ~ Alex, Wanda’s adopter
Allie and Gracie – Bonded Beauties
Though a bonded pair, Allie and Gracie have opposite personalities! Outgoing Gracie is always the first out of the gate, eager to jump and climb. Allie, on the other hand, is more reserved, taking time to showcase her gentle and affectionate nature. These two beauties were adopted by an adoring family and now get to enjoy their lives as queens of their new domain.
Allie Gracie
Brady (Now Thirteen)—The Playful Charmer
Brady’s family shares that he is already a beloved member of their household. Renamed Thirteen, this energetic kitten formed a strong bond with his older brother Knox, who the family reports is now more playful than ever before! Just another example of a black cat whose distinct personality shines through, bringing joy and fun each day to his new home.
Thirteen at home with Knox (orange tabby)
Cody—Prisoner of Love
You can imagine our surprise when we reached out to the Beard family for an update on Cody, only to have Cody himself respond! According to Cody’s ‘purr-sonalized’ email, he’s become a ‘prisoner of love,’ held by his devoted human parents. By day, he serves as new mom Karen’s work-from-home office assistant, a job he claims is exhausting, but he finds ways to even the score by curling up in her arms at night-demanding plenty of attention. Though he reports trying to embrace his inner aloof feline, his affectionate side often gets the best of him.
Once Karen managed to wrestle back the keyboard, she shared that Cody is their eighth feline family member and has brought boundless joy to their home. This handsome house panther proves that the affectionate and confident nature of black cats should never be underestimated!
“Watching Cody explore his world is a delight; his sweet habit of cuddling with a loud purr has captured our hearts.” – Karen, Cody’s adopter
Frankie (now Frankie Yue) & Daisy (now Chihiro Shan)—The Curious Duo
From the start, Frankie Yue and Chihiro Shan made themselves right at home, quickly taking over their new castle with their playful, curious spirits. According to adopter Janet, both kitties are wonderfully social and greet guests without hesitation. Frankie Yue loves water, often leaping into the sink, while Chihiro Shan is sweet and adventurous. “We couldn’t be happier with our lovable duo!” Janet shares.
“They play a lot with each other and cuddle with us humans. We absolutely adore them.” – Janet, Frankie Yue & Chihiro Shan’s adopter.
Hannah (now Fran) & Eddie (now Gus) —The Perfect Pair
Hannah and Eddie, now Fran and Gus, seamlessly settled into their new home. “They enjoy playing with each other, watching the birds and squirrels outside and spending time snuggling with me,” according to their adopter Jenna. She says they have quickly become the two loves of her life and that she is so grateful to have adopted them!
Fran Eddie
“They are my sweet baby angels and I love them with all my heart!” – Jenna, Gus and Fran’s adopter
As we commemorate National Black Cat Day, may these stories serve as a reminder of the loving companionship offered by cats of every size, age, shape and color. From playful mischief to ferocious posing to heartwarming cuddles, black cats like Allie, Thirteen, Gus and Cody prove they’re anything but unlucky and unphotogenic. In fact, they infuse endless delight into their adopters’ lives!