In Terrassa (Catalonia), an unusual restriction has been in place since early October: until November, the local shelter will not allow black cats to be adopted. The municipality decided to temporarily halt their adoption in order to prevent possible abuse ahead of Halloween.
In recent years, staff at the city animal care center have noticed a strange increase in interest in black cats specifically during October. During this time, adoption requests for black cats rose sharply, with many applications arousing suspicion among shelter workers. Authorities fear that some of these requests are not motivated by a desire to care for a pet, but rather by superstitions and occult practices that still persist in popular culture.
The temporary ban took effect on October 1 and will remain in force until November 1. During this period, shelter staff are closely monitoring the situation and reminding residents about the importance of responsible pet ownership. According to their observations, it is on the eve of Halloween that the risk increases of black cats being used in rituals or simply being abandoned after the holiday.
The municipality notes that such measures are not being taken for the first time. In recent years, animal advocates have repeatedly warned about cases in which black cats were adopted from shelters for dubious reasons, only to be later abandoned or subjected to abuse. Although there are no official statistics, experts are certain that these incidents most often occur in October.
Black cats have long been associated with mysticism, witches, and superstitions, making them particularly vulnerable during the Halloween period. Authorities in Terrassa hope that the temporary ban will help protect the animals and draw attention to the issue of irresponsible adoptions. After November 1, the usual adoption process will resume, and anyone whose intentions are not in doubt may once again apply to adopt a black cat.
