I think I'm angry, maybe about a lot of things, maybe about the debates last night.
So it's probably better not to get too much into that one at this point.
For something completely different, let's talk about our hyper-pigmented cats.
What's a hyper-pigmented cat you ask?
Why that would be a cat, like my Obi, who is completely black, has a black nose, black paw pads, and black "eyeliner" around his eyes. His lips and some of his gums are black too, though his tongue and the inside of his mouth are pink.
Anyone involved for some years in cat rescue will find themselves at some point asking "What's up with the black cats?"
Here's what's up with the black cats:
*They have lower adoption rates than other cats
*Anecdotally they are singled out for acts of violence
*Traditionally they are considered bad luck
I know, can you believe it? Those of us who share our homes with black cats know how perfect and lovable they are, so we can't believe they have such a bad time of it.
But there's more than this up with the black cats.
Consider that in rural areas grey and brown tabby cats make up the majority of feral colonies, and that's easy to explain, their stripes hide them from predators. But in urban areas black cats and black and white cats start to dominate the colonies. When I've talked with long-time feeders about starting TNR for their colonies so often they've said "This started out with a tabby, a calico, and an orange cat, but now we've got so many black cats here."
From a logical viewpoint this shouldn't be an evolutionary advantage to urban cats. Being black helps them blend in with roads, which increases their chances of getting killed by cars. Being black decreases the hand outs they might get from sympathetic humans. Yet, after a few generations, black cats will be the most plentiful.
And finally we have an answer. New genetic research has demonstrated that the genes for hyper-pigmentation (I believe this is a case where one such gene produces a black and white cat and two produce an all black cat) also provide a genetic resistance against viruses. In urban areas where cat colonies might be crowded viruses are a larger threat than predators.
I love stuff like this.
Go home and hug a black cat!
