Different cultures around the world have different takes on what a black cat means to them.
Some worship the cats and some consider it to be a bad omen. Some believe they bring luck in life while others find it hard to believe.
Black cats are considered unlucky to the point that the Indian culture believes that when a black cat crosses your path, do not cross the same path unless you want to have bad luck along with you.
What about the culture you follow? How do they perceive the black cat?
All of these are cultural proofs that black cats may or may not be lucky and also it is not proven to be one hundred percent true.
If science could explain it, would you believe that the black cats are lucky? There are facts to support that black cats are indeed luckier than other cats.
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Do Black Cats Live Longer Than Other Cats?
It depends on the lifestyle the cat is subjected to or the way it lives. Black cats have a better immune system and longer average lifespan than other cats but that does not mean they outlive other cats.
Black cats have a huge advantage with the color of their fur coat and it is possible that in 2 out of 3 cases a black cat may live longer than any other cat but life and death are not predictable.
Black cats have an excess of melanin in their bodies which gives a dark color to their fur coat despite that it also helps them to fight against diseases better i.e. boost their immunity.
Black cats have an advantage over other cats but it is not a fair one if they have to face adverse situations. If the hygienic and psychological conditions are not appropriate the cat may die early.
Also, black cats who are pets are most of the time looked after and taken care of but stray cats may have to live in filth and could be surrounded by diseases. So to say all black cats live longer than other cats would not be fair.
If we look at the average, black cats indeed live a longer life than cats with other fur coats. Melanin in their bodies helps them give a better immune system.
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How Long Do Black Cats Live?
The average lifespan of a black cat is 15 years whereas that of a normal cat is 12 to 18 years.
Black cats have a longer average life span than other cats because they have better immune systems and can fight diseases more efficiently than normal cats.
They have this advantage due to melanin, which is a pigment produced inside the body that gives their fur the rich black color.
This is why humans with darker skin are also called lucky because the reason for dark skin color is melanin and melanin is good for the body and having a dark color also reduces the chances of a person suffering from melanoma, a type of skin cancer.
This type of cancer also prevails in cats. The dark color which is imparted to their fur by melanin also helps them combat deadly diseases like these and hence increases their average life span.
It still feels a little absurd to call black cats unlucky even after presenting arguments that prove that in reality, they are luckier than other cats. They are also worshipped as gods in countries like Egypt.
Along with longer lifespan, better immune system, and personally the elegance of the dark and velvety black color of their fur definitely makes them a little luckier and superior in my opinion, but it is everyone’s choices and opinions and they vary differently according to different people.
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Are Black Cats Healthier Than Other Cats?
Yes, as surprising as it seems black cats are much healthier than normal cats. They don’t even fall sick as much as normal cats do and even if they do they combat diseases faster and better than normal cats.
If you have a black cat you might have wondered how is the cat so healthy?
The reason for the excellent health of black cats is the color of their fur.
The black colour is the reason they are so strong and fit.
Black cats obtain their dark fur due to the presence of a pigment inside their body called melanin.
Melanin is also found in humans and it is said to be good for the immune system. That’s why black cats are much healthier than normal cats.
It’s not that the black cats do not face diseases. They do face diseases just like normal cats but the distinction between the two is that the black cat may be able to combat the disease due to strong immunity but a normal cat is more likely to get infected.
It also depends on what kind of environment your cat is residing in. In adverse situations and unfit and unhygienic conditions the chances of survival of a black cat are more than a normal cat but in a safe and stress-free environment both the cats would respond similarly.
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Are Black Cats Less Likely To Get Sick?
Yes, black cats are more resilient to diseases than normal cats so, the probability of them falling sick is much lesser than normal cats.
One should not be prejudiced and judge a species of cat or humans for that matter based on their skin color. The darker skin or fur on bath cats and humans makes them have an upper hand healthwise among other species.
Scientists have proven that the dark color of the fur of cats is due to the presence of melanin which helps them combat infection and makes them resilient to various diseases present in the environment.
And statistics even show that if a normal cat along with a black cat is exposed to a certain disease that is common and curable, the black cat may have better chances of developing immunity against it without getting affected.
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A normal cat wouldn’t be able to do so until the cat catches the infection and the body develops a combative system against it.
Racism is a very unhealthy social issue that needs to be eradicated from society, but cats do not know this discrimination and prejudice so, if you as a person consider black cats bad due to the color of their fur you have bigger problems to handle personally and much to work on yourself.
Black cats make good pets and are likely to save you a lot of trips to the veterinarian and a lot of your money too.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can black cats be taken as pets?
Yes, black cats can be taken as pets. It is safe and trendy too. Special breeding of cats is done to get the rich black fur and also the great qualities of either of the species. One such species is Bombay and it is one of the most famous black cat species along with the Persian.Â
What are the advantages of having a black cat?
There are no direct advantages you would feel if you have a pet cat that has black fur. There would certainly be changes in your budget. Compared to a household with a non-black cat, you would probably save money from the veterinarian as black cats have better immunity and are less likely to fall sick. It doesn’t also hurt to know that Egyptians consider them to be gods so if you are a believer it may be a very good thing too
Are black cats unlucky?
It depends, this question can be answered in different ways. It depends on if you are a believer or not. If you don’t believe in good luck or bad luck it wouldn’t matter to you. But if you believe then it is your call to make. Some cultures worship them as gods while some consider them very unlucky. Â
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Summary
Black cats which are considered scary and unlucky may not be as unfortunate as you deem them to be.
Black cats have a very great gift of health, courtesy of their black fur. The black fur of cats is because of the presence of melanin in the bodies of cats which is a known pigment that helps in enhancing the immune system of cats.
It helps make the cat’s immunity stronger and also helps in combating diseases. Now, after having such a natural and beneficial gift of nature would they still be considered unlucky. I don’t think so.
I think they are the most fortunate of the cat species. The fact that they look even more royal and elegant compared to other cats also puts them in very high standards.
What are your thoughts on this?.
Personally, if someone asks me the fur coat of a cat I would want to have as a pet it would be a black cat for sure. What would you choose?
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