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.
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A Terrassa, no es podrà adoptar ni acollir cap gat fins al 10 de novembre: “És una mesura de precaució per salvar-los de possibles rituals de Halloween”, segons explica Noel Duque, regidor de l’@ajterrassa #MatíCatRàdio https://t.co/yoCkPtVbNo pic.twitter.com/fqJlBTG44O
— Catalunya Ràdio (@CatalunyaRadio) October 15, 2025
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