Observed four days before Halloween, National Black Cat Day is a celebration of our feline friends, whose reputation has often suffered from its purported connection to the unhallowed arts.

Two of their strongest advocates, Lillian Lennon, director of RSVP, an animal rescue in East Moriches, and Dr. Diana Savino-Thoms, director at Center Moriches Veterinary Hospital, are making sure black cats get the care and treatment they deserve.

RSVP, Animal Welfare and Rescue, will hold a special Black Cat Awareness Day on Oct. 27, from 2 to 5 pm at PetSmart in Riverhead, featuring adoptable felines, kids’ crafts and “treats without tricks.”

There will be a special Black Cat Awareness Day on Oct. 27 at Petco in Riverhead. No registration is required.

Dr. Savino-Thoms, who has seen her share of people and their pets in her veterinary practice, has a special soft spot for black cats—pets, she says, prospective adopters often overlook. In fact, she has three of her own.

“Black cats definitely get a bad rap. There’s a stigma attached to their color. And because they’re linked with Halloween, some people assume they’re mean-spirited,” she said.

“But they’re actually very sweet and affectionate! They’re outgoing, playful, smart and sociable—just the opposite of their reputation. And, they love to snuggle.  Growing up, we never had a black cat, even though, my father, Dr. Richard Savino, is a veterinarian. It wasn’t until I started seeing them as patients that I began to notice their personalities.

The first black cat she adopted, Paige, was part of a litter they took in to adopt out. When we take in kittens to adopt out, my staff puts in a lot of time helping to socialize them. Paige was part of an all-black litter, and the only female. At the time, my children were young and I invited them to come and play with the kittens, too, to further their comfort with children.

“And they fell in love with Paige.  That was the deciding factor for me. I brought her home and it was the best decision I ever made.  She is like a second mother to my children. Her sweet, loving personality makes our hearts melt. She sleeps with the kids when they’re sick and checks them each night, going from bed to bed as they sleep.”

“A few years later, we adopted Sir Edward, part of another litter brought in for adoption.  There was something special about him, too. He’s such a sweet little boy. As the staff and I started handling him, I’d carry him around with me, let him sit on my lap as I wrote up charts, called back clients and listened to him purring as he slept.  He was such a sweet addition that when Martin came into the clinic to be adopted and purred the minute he was picked up, I knew he needed to come home with me, too.  He and Edward are best friends. They play, snuggle and groom each other daily.

Together these three have made our home a fun place to be.  I’m so happy I brought them home… even though my husband is always a little nervous when I walk through the door that I might not be alone.”

“Which is why it’s sad that black cats have so much difficulty being adopted. Even the sweetest member of a litter will be left behind by people who choose other colors first.  At CMVH, we look for adopters who can look past preconceived negativity associated with them—images drawn from Halloween of arched backs, hissing, claws out, glowing eyes. Black cats are sweet and so much more than the myth.

“I always encourage clients to just sit and visit with a cat. See if there’s a connection instead of getting caught up in its color, gender, breed.  If they feel drawn to that kitty, they have been chosen by the cat. The rest should be history.

“Eliot, our black hospital cat for many years, was an example.  He’d roam around the office and greet everyone.  He truly felt like a member of the staff.  He’d sit up with the receptionists, visit with clients, hang out in a treatment room.

“There was one day when we walked into a room to find the client sitting on the floor with his dog, Eliot, sitting on the scale, and all three waiting for the appointment to begin. The client confessed he’d been a bit anxious at first until Eliot helped soothe his fears.

“Eliot was one of a kind.  He truly had a way of making everyone around him feel relaxed and happy.  And he definitely helped dispel a lot of rumors about black cats for our clients.”