16th October 2025
Barcelona NewsCatalonia NewsHeadlinesMadrid NewsMain News

Catalan town halts black cat adoptions amid fears of Halloween ‘rituals’

Long associated with superstition, bad (or good) luck and occult symbolism, black cats have been given special protection in a Catalan town that has temporarily suspended their adoption to prevent potential Halloween-related abuse.

From 1 October until 10 November, the animal welfare department in Terrassa – a town north of Barcelona – will reject all applications to adopt or foster black cats. The measure, announced on 6 October, aims to avoid ‘possible risk … derived from superstitions, rituals or irresponsible uses’, according to the official statement.

Authorities said the suspension was introduced ‘due to the arrival of the Halloween period and following the prudence criteria applied by various animal protection entities’.

Local daily Diari de Terrassa quoted the town’s animal welfare councillor, Noel Duque, as saying that requests to adopt black cats tend to surge around Halloween ‘for ritual purposes’ or ‘as decoration because “it’s cool”.’

‘The town hall could not look the other way when faced with a grim topic,’ said Duque.

Animal welfare groups have long cautioned that cats can be mistreated, sacrificed or exploited as decorative props during Halloween festivities.

Any exception to the ban will be ‘duly justified and assessed by the technical team of the centre, where there is a full safety guarantee and a reliable history of the applicant’, the town’s animal welfare service added.

The regular adoption and fostering process will resume once the Halloween period has passed, though officials said a similar precaution could be reintroduced in future years.

Municipal data shows that Terrassa has a feline population of over 9,800.

Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter from Spain in English

 

Subscription Supporter Banner

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to get your business activity or services listed on our DIRECTORY.

Click here for further details on how to ADVERTISE with us.

Recent Posts

Police probe disappearance of Picasso painting en route from Madrid to Granada for an exhibition

News Desk

IMF confirms Spain’s lead as fastest-growing advanced economy for two years in a row

News Desk

Spanish government hits back after renewed tariff threats from Donald Trump over defence spending

News Desk

Spanish PM: Gaza truce must not mean impunity for ‘genocide’

News Desk

Trump tells Sánchez he’s doing a ‘fantastic job’ – days after suggesting Spain should be thrown out of NATO

News Desk

Alvise Pérez launches new far-right party in Spain despite four legal cases against him

News Desk

Leave a Comment