When you adopt a black cat, one of the things no one warns you about is that October presents a minefield of temptations. Suddenly, tributes to your beloved house panther are everywhere. No, I don’t need another T-shirt, tea light or tea towel … but how am I to resist when they feature a likeness of my Mia, perched on a pumpkin?
There’s nothing remotely scary about ebony-coated felines, including Mia—unless you’re the gold crinkle toy that she attacks with the zeal of a hungry vampire. But what is scary is the heap of dangers that Halloween poses to our animal companions. Every October, animals are sickened, injured and even killed due to accidents and intentional cruelty. Don’t be haunted by a Halloween horror—take steps to keep your animals safe this season.
People who are lucky enough to have a black cat in their lives know that Halloween is no time to let Salem roam the streets. But the same is true for companion animals of all colors, every day of the year. Real evil lurks outdoors, and cats and dogs are defenseless against it. PETA’s files are overflowing with reports of animals who were tortured and killed by abusers who found them wandering alone outdoors. (I’ll spare you the details, but imagine the most gruesome horror movie you’ve ever seen and you’ll start to come close.)
