The Spanish town of Terrassa in Catalonia has temporarily banned the adoption of black cats during the Halloween season to prevent potential mistreatment or use in “sinister rituals,” according to local officials.
The city’s animal welfare service announced that all requests to adopt or foster black cats will be denied from October 6 to November 10. The measure aims to protect the animals from being used as props or harmed during Halloween celebrations, when adoption interest in black cats reportedly rises.
Deputy Mayor Noel Duque told national broadcaster RTVE that while Terrassa has not recorded any cases of abuse, similar incidents in other regions prompted the precaution. “We try to prevent people from adopting because it’s trendy or impulsively. And in cases like these, which we know exist, to prevent any macabre practices,” he said.
Evidence supporting black cat bans is limited
Although Terrassa’s decision is local and temporary, similar concerns have surfaced in other countries. In the United States, some shelters have historically paused or limited black cat adoptions around Halloween, citing fears the animals could be mistreated. However, recent evidence suggests such restrictions are uncommon today.
Animal-welfare organizations including Alley Cat Allies and Shelter Animals Count say there is no verified data showing that black cats face increased danger during Halloween. Both groups describe the notion as an urban myth and argue that suspending adoptions can unintentionally make it harder for black cats—already less likely to be adopted year-round—to find homes.
A 2024 report by Shelter Animals Count stated: “There is no reliable data supporting the claim that black cats are targeted for rituals; this is widely regarded as an urban myth.” Similarly, North Texas shelter Operation Kindness said in 2024 that black cats are “not in more danger on Halloween than any other time of the year.”
Terrassa calls its measure “temporary and exceptional”
According to the Catalan News Agency, Terrassa houses about 9,800 cats, with 12 black cats currently in its main adoption center. The city council described the ban as “temporary and exceptional” and said it could be repeated in the future if necessary. Exceptions will be reviewed individually before normal adoptions resume after November 10.
While the Terrassa measure stands out for being formally enacted by a city government, experts note that most modern shelters now emphasize adopter education and screening rather than outright bans—reflecting a shift toward data-driven animal-welfare policy rather than superstition-based precaution.
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