I photograph adoptable animals as a volunteer at the Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority (SVACA) in Santa Clara, California.
Each year, the black kittens and cats are the last ones to be adopted, and each year that bums me out because black cats are wonderful! They've gotten some bad publicity (I'm talking about you, silly superstitions) but nothing that can't be overcome with some better PR—right?
So, this year, my SVACA colleagues and I decided to highlight black and tuxedo cats in a fun way that would celebrate them and take the 'spooky' out of the black cat myth.
Using my own photographs of shelter animals and taxing my wobbly graphic-design skills, I created a series of faux magazine covers and posted them on SVACA's social media for their Black Cat Appreciation Week in January 2019.
Here are my six favourite covers, created over the course of about ten days. Enjoy!
By the way, don't worry about the black cats at SVACA. SVACA is a no-kill shelter and even if black cats have to wait a little longer, everyone finds their forever home. For more information, check out their website at svaca.com—and follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to see more fun posts. (Dog magazine covers coming soon!)
More info: svaca.com
#1
37points
#2
34points
#3
32points
#4
31points
#5
30points
#6
27points
The issue of black cats facing challenges in adoption is not unique to the shelters referenced in my volunteer experiences. The story of MeonJi, a black Scottish fold cat with a dynamic personality, showcases just how lovable these felines can be.
To understand more about the charm and appeal of quirky black cats, consider this delightful narrative on how one captivating cat overcame common misconceptions.