For centuries, black cats have been synonymous with Halloween, but their future often looks grim in animal shelters across the country. Stigmatized by centuries of superstitions, these cats face low adoption rates and high euthanasia rates.
Hannah Soboleski, executive director of Binx’s Home for Black Cats in Asheville, feels a deep connection with these animals. “We are letting people know that black cats are important, that they need love, and that they deserve homes just like anyone else,” she says.
Named after her favorite feline, Binx’s Home has been working to shift the narrative around black cats for the past four years. “The only bad luck that black cats experience is often their own,” Soboleski told Queen City News. “They end up in shelters and can find themselves on the wrong side of the euthanasia list.”
Soboleski has successfully found homes for nearly a thousand black cats during her tenure at the rescue. Her passion for helping these animals stems from her own personal trauma, which was partly inspired by a gray cat named Church.
After escaping domestic violence, Soboleski recalls how Church became her guiding light. “The night that I got away from my abuser, [Church] was outside with me, and he started walking down the road,” she said. “I grabbed my keys and my belongings, and I followed him. He led me to safety.”
Soboleski acknowledges that many individuals fleeing abusive situations cannot take their pets with them, making her fortunate to have had Church by her side. Sadly, Church passed away about a year later.
In 2020, Soboleski founded Binx’s Home to give back. “I wanted to create a space where I could help cats, inspired by the fact that my cat helped me escape,” she explains. Last year, she expanded her efforts by opening the House of Black Cat Magic, a cat café and magic supply store that collaborates with the rescue.
Soboleski emphasizes that supporting black cats is not limited to the Halloween season. “In the worst of times, a pet of any color can be a lifesaver,” she reflects. “Many of us in rescue have faced significant challenges, and we want to give back to the animals that were there for us.”
As the community has faced the impacts of Hurricane Helene, Binx’s Home has stepped up by distributing free pet supplies and setting up an Amazon Supplies list for those looking to support pets and people affected by the storm.
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