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National Black Cat Day

Animal · Seasonal · October 27

A day for black cats, marked in the US and elsewhere, with a focus on shelter adoption and the black cats that fill our stories.

National Black Cat Day falls on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. That is today.

Black cats get a day of their own, and it is marked in the United States as well as in other countries. The attention goes to the cat with the dark coat, the one curled at the back of a shelter kennel or watching the street from a windowsill.

Shelter workers often say black cats can wait longer for homes. A plain dark coat is easy to pass by in a row of kennels, and a black cat resting in a dim corner can look like a cushion until it opens its eyes. Many shelters use the day to give these cats extra attention, with brighter photos, a little more space on adoption pages and staff notes about each cat's habits.

Stories have kept black cats busy for a long time. Edgar Allan Poe wrote a short story called "The Black Cat," and it is full of dread. Television later gave viewers Salem, the sarcastic talking cat in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Picture books are crowded with black cats riding broomsticks or tiptoeing through moonlit gardens. In fiction the black cat has been a warning, a sidekick and a bedtime companion.

Real black cats tend to be less dramatic. They nap, they ask for dinner early, and they follow a patch of sunlight across the floor over the course of an afternoon.

For people who share a home with one, the day might mean a new toy or a longer brushing session. For people who do not, a local shelter's website shows who is waiting. Somewhere on that page is a black cat named Pepper or Midnight, sitting very still for its photo.

Ways to celebrate

• Browse a local shelter's adoptable black cats and share a listing.
• Donate a bag of cat food or litter to a nearby rescue.
• Reread Poe's "The Black Cat" or a picture book starring one.
• Give your own black cat a new toy or an extra play session.
• Offer to help a shelter take bright, clear photos of its cats.

Dates

All national days on October 27

Also on October 27

• National American Beer Day
• Cranky Co-Workers Day
• Navy Day

Categories: Animal daysSeasonal days