Celebrating the Joy of Black Cats and Busting Myths! "Black Cats Tell All"

It is an honor to present to you, in honor of Black Cat Appreciation Day and for EVERY DAY, "The first collection to promote Black Cat adoption!" Black Cats Tell All (edited by Layla Morgan Wilde), is a  true labor of love that took months to come to fruition. Extolling the virtues of black cats is a calling that has completely consumed Layla.  Black Cats Tell all is a "celebration" of all that is positive about black cats, with the hope of once-and-for-all reversing negative stereotypes that to this day are still far too prevalent.  In most cases the stories are narrated by the cats themselves.   A portion of the proceeds from this book will help Shelter Cats..While reading Black Cats Tell All I was astonished to learn that "black cat superstitions can be traced back to as early as 1233!!!"

Courtesy of Black Cats Tell All

While reading this stunning anthology, I learned: "Black cats are about half as likely to be adopted than other colors. Part of the reason is superstition or negative stereotyping, but the other part is there simply are more black cats because they are genetically stronger. They have genetic mutations making them more resistant to illnesses such as FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). The easiest and most powerful way to see statistics come to life is to visit or volunteer at a shelter."

"Those who don't believe in the positive magic of black cats

will NEVER enjoy their charms."---Layla Morgan Wilde

Courtesy of Black Cats Tell All
 Tater Pol in the Office
The Incredible Dr. Pol Nat Geo WILD
Follow On Instagram  @tater_pol 

Layla strongly feels: "It’s time for a new perspective and to stop the prejudice. With so much prejudice of all kinds in the world, I felt it timely for a more concentrated effort to promote black cat awareness and adoption. To judge a cat simply by the color of their fur is discrimination. The world is full of fear or ignorance of something or someone different. We fear what we don’t understand. That mysterious unknown gets twisted and embedded culturally, generation after generation. That’s how myths are created, like the superstition that black cats are evil. Every year, the negative stereotypes of black cats are reinforced by the growing popularity of Halloween, the second most popular holiday, after Christmas. The world can use more kindness and compassion. Cats are powerful messengers. They rule the Internet. Why not harness their power for good?"

Courtesy of Black Cats Tell All

 Black Cats Tell All is a feast for the eyes. Whomever said that black cats do not photograph well needs to receive a copy of this book with its full color EXQUISITE photos! It was a complete delight to see these gorgeous and handsome creatures lounging, working, enjoying outdoor adventures, strutting their model poses,

Photo Courtesy of Black Cats Tell All
 Sophie in box with polydactyl paws
Follow Sophie on Instagram @sophie_the_model

as well as playing and celebrating holidays. This full color anthology features over 100 black cats from all over the world!!!! A number of them are "celebrity cats" from YouTube,  and Instagram. 

Courtesy of Black Cats Tell All
 Snuckles with yellow rose
 His dad, Sam Dyson plays for the SF Giants
Follow on Instagram @snuckles47

Black Cats Tell All is cleverly divided into the four seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter), showcasing the full spectrum of their fascinating lives.

Courtesy Black Cats Tell All
 Ledges adventure cat kayaking on the lake
Follow On Instagram  @blackcattrails

 Some of the cats we knew because we follow their blogs, they are Yin and Yang from ATCAD, Ernie a polydactyl cat and (a fellow Michigan cat), from The Island Cats, Rosie, from
  The Daily Pip , Parsley from Basil's Blog and  Spooky from 15 and Meowing.

Some of my  favorite features of the book are the little "biographies" in blue boxes on the side of the pages that showcase the birthdays, Astrological signs, where the cats live, their nicknames and more. The little "bios" were reminiscent of info that you can find on the back of baseball cards. One of my favorites was a cat named "Shalom". His nicknames are "Black Lightning", "Monster", "Shalomykins", and "Tukus" (for those of you who don't know Yiddish, that is a tushie or a butt!!!)

There is a stunner featured in the section titled Autumn, (Echo, also from Michigan), who has the most captivating blue eyes I have ever seen. I had NEVER seen a black cat with blue eyes until I saw Echo. Echo's nicknames are:"Mr.Krabs" and "Old Blue Eyes."

"A house is more magical

with a black cat."

Speaking of "Magic" there is a certain kitty featured in Black Cats Tell All, who shared an entry under the alias of (Inky Von Inkvon). He is a 16 year old handsome man cat who is also diabetic. He happens to be the cat of Layla Morgan Wilde and the way he entered Layla's life is "purr" magic. I won't reveal the details, you will have to purchase the book to find out! Allow me to leave you with this teaser:

"Oh the Gods have a bizarre sense of humor when it comes to cats. They always send the cat you NEED, which may or may NOT be the one you WANT."---Layla Morgan Wilde

The Gods certainly knew what they were doing when these magnificent creatures known as black cats were placed on this Earth. Let us hope that with this exquisite book that showcases,  through written word and photos, the magic and joy that are black cats, that we are one step closer to the myths surrounding them forever being "busted". Let us hope that more black cats will be adopted into homes that will love, cherish and appreciate them for the amazing creatures that they are. 

Not only is Black Cats Tell All a "must-have" for black cat lovers, it is a "must-have" for ALL cat lovers!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Layla Morgan Wilde, a holistic cat expert and pet industry consultant, is an award winning journalist and photographer. She is a member of the Cat Writers’ Association and in 2011, founded the popular blog, Cat Wisdom 101. She launched the non-profit initiative Black Cats Tell All in 2016 to promote black cat adoption. A tireless advocate for less adoptable cats since founding the nonprofit Annex Cat Rescue in 1997, she has a soft spot for special needs, senior and black cats. Layla lives in Westchester County, NY with her husband and four special needs feline familiars.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON AND CATWISDOM101.COM

196 PAGES

ISBN:978-0-9980591-9-8 ($24.99)

ebook- ISBN: 978-0-9980591-8-1  ($8.99)

I was not compensated for my review. I was given a complimentary PDF of Black Cats Tell All in exchange for my always honest review.

I Once Was A Victim Of Black Cat Myths: #BlackCatAppreciationDay

What you read in the heading above is not only true, but is something that I am embarrassed to admit. "I once was a victim of the black cat myths."

You see, growing up I had never been around cats, and I came from a family that were not fans of them. Let me correct that, my Mother HATED them (and frankly, much to my dismay and displeasure, still does). My first real experience with cats wasn't until I was 15.

So, for more years than I should admit, I was one of millions of foolish, (a kind term), people who believed the outdated myth that black cats were bad luck.

Unfortunately, my experience with black cats prior to blogging had me believing that they were rather hyper and a tad crazy. I was guilty of an offense that was not only deplorable, but ridiculous. I was committing an offense that humans commit with other humans, but I was committing this offense with cats.   I judged black cats simply by their color.

Yes! I colored this!
It is from one of the coloring books that I own
from Kaleidoscope Coloring, Magnificent Creatures and More
which my sister-in-law purchased for me from Five Below

People who believe(d) the antiquated myth, as I did, that black cats are bad luck, are the reason why black cats not only wait at shelters to be adopted more than many other cats,  they are also more likely to be put to sleep than other cats who are waiting for their forever homes at shelters. They are also more likely to be victims of horrible abuse at Halloween due to the evil ways they are portrayed in an assortment of books and movies..

Prejudice against animals because of the color of their fur is just as reprehensible as prejudice against people due to the color of their skin. IT MUST STOP!! 

Via Grayson County Humane Society Leitchfield, KY Grayson 

As a result of blogging, (which I began nearly seven years ago), I have had the pleasure of visiting a number of  these exquisite, panther-like cats , on a regular basis. Through these blogs and a host of others, I have seen and more importantly LEARNED that BLACK CATS ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER CAT!!!!! Here is just a tiny sampling of the blogs which helped me to learn about and to love black cats. They are:

ATCAD

THE ISLAND CATS

SPITTY SPEAKS

FOUR CRAZY CATS

HOUSE PANTHERS

(as I mentioned these are just a sampling of some great bloggers who share their lives with some pretty pawesome black cats, there are many, many other blogs that I follow who also have the pleasure of living with some of the most gorgeous black cats I have ever seen. These were just the first that popped into my mind and are blogs where the black cats are not mixed with any white.)

NONE of them are experiencing ANY bad luck as a result of living with black cats! BLACK CATS ARE AS LOVING AND LOVABLE AS CATS OF ANY OTHER COLOR!!!

Photo Courtesy of  https://www.pinterest.com/dailylolpics/

So today, on Black Cat Appreciation Day, let's take a moment and honor these feline specimens of purrfection who in no way deserve the bad rap that they often get. Instead, let's honor them and extol them for the incredible creatures that they are, kudos to those who have dedicated their lives to showing the world that:

 "BLACK CATS ARE  BEAUTIFUL!!"

Black Cats Tell All:"The First Anthology of Myth-Busting, TRUE Stories by 22 Amazing, Black Cats" #catwisdom101 #blackcatbook

Photo Courtesy of Kickstarter Black Cats Tell All

It is our pleasure today to present to you, an incredibly special Kickstarter Campaign that was created by our friend Layla Morgan Wilde of Cat Wisdom 101.

Courtesy of the Black Cats Tell All Kickstarter Campaign

 From the Black Cats Tell All campaign:

Our goal is to change perceptions about black cats, one story at a time. 

By pledging to this campaign, you will make a difference in the lives of black cats.

What do you think of when you think black cats?

Myths and superstitions about black cats date back to the Dark Ages and being discriminated against for simply being black. Black cats are the least likely to be adopted and Layla is  inviting you to help her change that by supporting Black Cats Tell All :True Tales By 22 Amazing Cats, a deluxe, limited first edition book and non-profit project.

This is the first anthology of positive stories about black cats and narrated by the fearless felines to debunk the superstitions. They feel it’s time to tell the world the truth. These 22 real, black cats share nothing in common except the color of their fur and a yen to pen their stories. 

They reveal how wildly entertaining and fabulous black cats are to live with. Some reveal a secret life from the fanciful and mind-boggling, to every day hilarious and heart-warming antics. Their not so secret goal is to raise black cat awareness and increase their dismal rates of adoption.

An anthology of true black cat stories narrated by real cats

Good stories, inspiring stories, stories to restore wonder and re-brand black cats as adorable adoptables.

 It's time to shed positive light on black cats and change cultural history.

That’s where you come in.

 By pledging to this campaign, you will make a difference in the lives of black cats.

TO LEARN MORE VISIT THE KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN HERE

Photo Courtesy of the Black Cats Tell All Kickstarter Campaign