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TexasTowelie

(111,304 posts)
Thu Jul 31, 2014, 10:28 PM Jul 2014

Culture Watch: Are selfie-maniacs propelling a sharp rise in homelessness among black cats?



Another fine and alarming Culture Watch catch from Claire Hannum at The Frisky, who previously turned us on to those creepy cat-shaped marshmallows and the possibly creepier still toasters that produce toast-selfies. Now it's an apparent trend in the U.K. concerning what constitutes an adoptable pet.

It appears that black cats are increasingly going homeless -- not, as you might imagine, because of their long-bruited role as bringers of bad luck, but because they don't photograph well. That's right, the little darlings are deemed insufficiently photogenic to suit their potential owners' photographic fancy. At today's cat boutiques, it appears that the leading question is, "Do you have something in an orange or maybe white?"

Here's Claire's report:



RIP Society: Black Cats Are Being Abandoned Because They Don't Show Up in Selfies



According to the RSPCA, a British animal charity, abandoning animals that aren’t photogenic has become “a national problem” in the U.K. Of the 1,000 cats currently living in RSPCA shelter, 70 percent are black. Between 2007 and 2013, there was a 65 percent increase in the number of black cats taken in at the Blue Cro ss animal charity. “Black animals tend not to photograph as well as other cats with more distinctive markings,” they told The Telegraph. [Emphasis added. -- Ed.] Sadly, it seems that a pet’s ability to take a good selfie is worth a lot more to some people these days than how much love they can give. Many pet owners apparently complained when dropping the cats off at the shelter that they didn’t show up well in pictures, and prospective owners at the shelter requested to meet cats that were any color other than black. Meanwhile, orange and white cats, who show up better on camera, are being adopted left and right. This also makes it tough for the RSPCA to advertise the black cats in photos on their website. Even though these kitties were once thought of as bad luck, many Britons believe they bring the opposite, but their lack of photo cred seems to leave them in the dust. Come on, animal lovers, we’re better than this!


The linked Daily Telegraph report by Edward Malnick, "Misfortune of black cats rejected in age of 'selfie,'" is worth a closer look. Edward quotes an RSPCA spokesperson who sees "a number of reasons" for the cold shoulder black cats are getting, "ranging from the fact that black cats are harder to tell apart than cats with more distinctive markings and the fact that black animals tend not to photograph as well." And he got this response from Ronnie McMillen, 71, founder of the Millwood Cat Rescue Center in Edwalton, Notts:

We have had a lot of black cats in this year -- people don’t like black at the moment. Others look at the black cats and then just say "Oh, have you got anything else?" Ginger male cats are the most popular, but I think the black cats are beautiful and photograph fine.


More at http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2014/07/culture-watch-are-selfie-maniacs.html
8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Culture Watch: Are selfie-maniacs propelling a sharp rise in homelessness among black cats? (Original Post) TexasTowelie Jul 2014 OP
As I understand it - LiberalElite Jul 2014 #1
i love black kittehs fizzgig Jul 2014 #2
Sounds like my cat. kentauros Aug 2014 #4
that is an awesome shot! fizzgig Aug 2014 #5
Thanks! kentauros Aug 2014 #6
these people lack imagination NJCher Jul 2014 #3
I think Raven is quite photogenic LoveMyCali Aug 2014 #7
There's a FB page devoted to black kitties tabbycat31 Aug 2014 #8

LiberalElite

(14,691 posts)
1. As I understand it -
Thu Jul 31, 2014, 11:11 PM
Jul 2014

black domesticated animals, cats and dogs, are harder to find homes for anyway - selfies beside the point.

fizzgig

(24,146 posts)
2. i love black kittehs
Thu Jul 31, 2014, 11:22 PM
Jul 2014

our last big male was all black except for a small white patch on his chest. he was such a chill and wonderful guy and i miss him very much.



yeah, that's the princess kitteh sleeping on top of him.

kentauros

(29,414 posts)
4. Sounds like my cat.
Fri Aug 1, 2014, 12:15 AM
Aug 2014

He also had a tiny white patch on his chest, and was a mostly sedate floor cat (no getting up high for him!) He was the only animal I ever owned (as in, mine, and not my family's.)

While he also didn't photograph well, that's more about my ability to get lighting correctly, and while he was still enough to allow a longer exposure. I'd never be so shallow as to reject an animal solely because they don't photograph well! What is this, the "Me Generation" all over again?

I did learn that my vet prefers black cats, and it seems they're all about my family at the moment (though mine passed away last fall.) My father took in a stray that is like a half-sized female clone of mine, and when he took her to his vet, they said she was basically a clone of the office cat!

My past-wife named my cat, Kipper, and here he is in one of the better images I managed to get of him (with a real, handheld camera, not a camera-phone) :

fizzgig

(24,146 posts)
5. that is an awesome shot!
Fri Aug 1, 2014, 12:28 AM
Aug 2014

and a gorgeous kitteh

and your sig line still kills me after all these years

kentauros

(29,414 posts)
6. Thanks!
Fri Aug 1, 2014, 12:39 AM
Aug 2014

He was difficult to photograph, mostly because he would move and I'd get a blurry image. Thank goodness for digital cameras!

And I leave my sig-line as it is mostly because every time I've said I was thinking about changing it, y'all would protest!

NJCher

(35,427 posts)
3. these people lack imagination
Thu Jul 31, 2014, 11:58 PM
Jul 2014

Black cats are great to photograph. You just have to use a little creativity, like having them in silhouette or against a contrasting background. I have tons of examples but too tired to post them.


I have two black cats. My brother has one, too. My family makes it a point to adopt black cats. Before the two I have now, I had two others who have subsequently passed on. Numerous friends have black cats, too. We adopt them in part because we know others are oblivious to their charms. I would not be without a black cat or two.


Cher

tabbycat31

(6,336 posts)
8. There's a FB page devoted to black kitties
Fri Aug 1, 2014, 11:15 AM
Aug 2014

Personally I find them beautiful. Photogenic or not. And every black kitteh I've met has been a total sweetheart. (My next cat will be black).

And I must say, I think black kitties are better looking as adults than they are as kittens.

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