OKLAHOMA CITY -
It's Halloween,
and some people in the metro are worried for their missing pets. Those pets are
black cats, and their owners are fear they might be abused or tortured because
of the holiday.
Most animal
welfare groups agree that abusing black cats on Halloween is just an urban
legend, but some pet owners here in the metro aren't so sure. Their black cats
have gone missing, and one owner tells News 9 her black cat has been abused on
Halloween before.
Caitlyn Waters
knew something was wrong last Thursday morning.
"He's just always
in the house in the morning," Waters said.
Her 7-year-old
black cat, Lynyrd, never came in for his food, and no one in her neighborhood
has seen him since.
It could be just a
Halloween prank, but that isn't much comfort for Caitlyn. She says three years ago,
her cat was stolen on Halloween and returned the next day with his ears cut.
"I think it could
be kids, but I think it could also be just some sick and twisted people that
want to go around catching black cats and torturing them, which hopefully he's
not being tortured," Waters said.
Now a couple of her neighbors' black cats are missing too.
"It's saying something about humans and our propensity to trick [and]
vandalize decorations and animals associated with Halloween," Central Oklahoma
Humane Society Executive Director Mac McCrory said.
Abusing black cats
this time of year has been a concern for animal welfare organizations for
years, but unlike some shelters, the Central Oklahoma Humane Society does adopt
out black cats year-round. In fact, it's hard to find owners for them.
"I think humans
have the superstition about black cats. They're associated with Halloween, just
like we have superstitions about witches and goblins," McCrory said.
Caitlyn and her neighbors just hope their cats are returned home
safely.
The Humane Society does encourage owners to keep their black cats
inside tonight.
News 9 also talked with the Edmond Animal Shelter Wednesday, and they don't adopt out
black cats during October as a safety precaution.
Pet owners are worried their black cats may be targeted on Halloween.
