Do Black Cats Act Different? 4 Intriguing Things Discussed

Before I do a deep dive into the question ‘do black cats act different?’ I’ll begin by saying it’s safe to say we won’t be getting a definitive answer.

There are genetic differences in black cats to cats of other colors but there is no evidence to suggest that a black cat will have different character traits.

There are 22 breeds of domestic cats that can have a solid black coat so this further complicates the question.

When digging around the internet for information on the subject of ‘do black cats act different?’ I came across 4 common related questions that I think I’ll use to structure this blog post.

Let’s get into the questions…

Do black cats have a different personality?

I read an article that mentioned a study that was “described by the University of California” and it all seemed very vague and confusing…

To summarize, an apparent study was done on what I assume was domestic cats and this study supposedly found that black cats were more “anti-social” than others.

They also apparently came to the conclusion that black cats had “less extreme character traits”.

Make of that what you will…

Are they saying that black cats are boring?

There seems to be a lack of evidence to suggest that a cat’s personality is or can be determined by the color of its fur.

Are black cats more affectionate?

There are many different breeds of black cats. To determine how affectionate a black cat may or may not be, the 22 possible breeds of black cat should be looked at individually.

As you have probably already noticed, the answer to the question of ‘do black cats act different?’ is complicated and extremely opinion-based.

We have an American Shorthair called Coco and he is very affectionate (towards us).

He sleeps on our bed with us every night, he constantly rubs his face against ours and he frequently wants to be picked up.

However, if a stranger or somebody who Coco is unfamiliar with enters our home, Coco runs for his life!

He has a panicked look on his face and runs as fast as he can for cover often crashing into things in the process.

Whether a cat is black or not, I very much think the affection that you will receive from your cat, varies massively from cat to cat.

Why are black cats so different?

Black cats have a different genetic make-up. For a cat to have a completely black coat, both parents have to carry the black cat gene.

A recessive gene known as the non-agouti has to be present and act as a blocker, this makes a cat black rather than a Tabby.

Recent studies suggest that black cats may actually live longer as their genes may make them more resistant to disease and ailments.

I wrote a blog post on black cat genetics which can be read here…

Aside from genetics, I think black cats have an incredibly unique and striking look.

They usually have such silky and shiny fur and their bright eyes contrast against their fur, giving them an amazing look.

Are black cats mean?

There is no evidence to suggest that black cats are mean. Superstitions and a history of association with witchcraft have given black cats a bad reputation.

Our black cat isn’t mean, he’s incredibly loving, very intelligent and a hugely valuable member of our household.

Thankfully, perceptions of black cats are changing and superstitions, and traditions regarding black cats are fading away.

Although cat shelters are still full of black cats, the new-aged black cat is being looked upon in a different light.

The Black Cat Community

I always like to ask for input from the black cat community, especially when writing about such important topics.

I asked the My Mini Panther Facebook community for their opinions on the question ‘do black cats act different?’.

Here are some of their responses…

Courtnie Vaughn Nope. All about the individual kitty.

Christopher Huneycutt No, but they’re better at scaring you at 3am when you get up for some water and don’t see them sitting in the darkness about to meow hello.

Kim Keller No, I have 2 brother’s that are 5 years older than my black cat and they ALL get along just fine, They love to run around and play.

Laura Carberry Yes. They have black cat attitude.

Jordan Parsons Nah, but they some cute!!!

Kim Denise Pierce-Clark Environment plays a big roll.

My Thoughts

As you can see from the response from the community, the general feeling is that the color of the cat’s fur doesn’t have an impact on the way that the cat acts.

I’d have to agree with that, I’ve always been of the opinion that cats are very similar to humans in the sense that their character is completely unique from cat to cat.

There may be some weight to the genetic side of things suggesting that black cats may have different traits but with there being so many different breeds of black cat, how long is a piece of string?

Having said all of that, there is something special about black cats that can be hard to put your finger on.

When a black cat enters the room, heads turn…

I’m not saying that this isn’t the case for other cats but for me, there’s that something about a black cat that makes you take notice.

Summary

Do black cats act different? Well, the question really should be ‘do black cats act differently to others?’ but for the purposes of the internet and what people search for, it’s the former.

The answer appears to be no (in a nutshell).

Questions whether black cats are more affectionate or mean etc.. are frequently asked on the net and again, and the answer appears to be no.

There are many different breeds of black cat and the character of a cat seems to vary widely from cat to cat.

The black cat community appears to be united in saying that the color of a cat’s fur has no impact on how the cat will or won’t act…