Friday 7 September 2007


What is it about the colour of cats? Why is one colour more appealing and more popular than others? I cannot get to the bottom of it, has anyone any ideas? I have always found dark tortoishell cats hard to home. For example Astra and Venus , young sister cats have been here since they were 6 weeks old and have ben completely overlooked by people visiting.Now 5 months old I worry they will never find a home.Gingers seem to be THE most popular, also grey and pretty tortie and whites and tabbys - Black and white next, then black(another unpopular colour) and finally the poor old tortoishell!!!
The strange fact is that brindle dogs which are similarly marked, are also hard to home!!!Perhaps people think they look fierce, could this be the reason? I rem,ember when I was in the Liverpool shelter and someone would telephone to get rid of a brindle dog, my heart would sink as I knew he/she would face the possibility of a long stay in kennels.I feel the same way now when Tortie cats arrive.No matter how sweet natured they are, they very rarely go quickly, such a shame that appearance maters so much to so many people. Many years ago , when I first moved to East Lodge farm in Liverpool, a retired couple turned up for a grey and white cat. As luck would have it, we did have just one in with those markings. I introduced the couple to this lovely friendly and attractive cat and left them alone for a few minutes.On my return I found them with a tape measure, measuring the white on his legs!!!!!!
Needless to say they did not get the cat!
Today I am going to concentrate on publicising Astra and Venus and Tiggs another tortie and try my best to move them out the shelter and into new homes which is what they deserve.

2 comments:

Tali said...

As an owner of a dark tortie cat I don't understand the problem either. Particularly as I personally know the three cats you mention in the article. I appreciate that Tiggs is a special case but surely there is that special "someone" that can give her what she needs.
It is a shame that so many people see colour and not personality!

Jules said...

Amongst my cats I have a lovely elderly dark tortie. I've always thought the colour beautiful! When adopting a cat - I just went for the personality or circumstances - not the colour!