Eerie Indiana National Black Cat Day Challenge

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There are lots of little known “holidays” on the calendar, and Thursday is one of them: National Black Cat Appreciation Day.

Also known as Black Cat Day, Aug. 17 has been dedicated to the raven-furred felines since 2011. Although they are commonly associated with bad luck, there are many reasons to love them.

The black cat’s tie to witchcraft began in the Middle Ages. More recent connections to pop culture witchcraft include Binx from the movie “Hocus Pocus” in 1993 and Salem from the television series “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.”

However, other countries believe black cats are good omens. Great Britain’s superstition is that black cats bring good luck, and Germany believes a black cat crossing your path will bring prosperity. Japanese culture encourages young women to own black cats to increase their chances at romance.

Black cats have an excess of melanin, which can make their black fur appear “rusty” brown in the sunlight. It also causes the yellow pigment in their eyes. The dark fur has been shown by research to fight off certain diseases.

So whether you spend August 17 watching an episode of “Felix the Cat,” petting your furry friend or just visiting the Glacial Lakes Humane Society to see its assortment of black cats, be sure to do your part in recognizing National Black Cat Appreciation Day.

As part of the day, black cat owners are encouraged to use social media to show off their pets and prove black cats make as good a pet as cats of any other hue.