Does colour matter when it comes to cat adoptions? - Saving Pets

The colour of a cat?s coat has been traditionally linked to its personality. Studies on whether these cat-colour-personality assertions are accurate have been mixed, but a study of 130 adoptable cats in a shelter in Florida, on their responses to being handled by strangers, found no significant difference between any of the coat colours (Munera 2010).

However, how potential adopters might perceive personality in relation to coat color may have important ramifications as to whether cats are adopted from shelters.

A new study; ?Human Perceptions of Coat Color as an Indicator of Domestic Cat Personality? looked to determine whether people projected particular personality types to cats, based solely on colour. One hundred and eighty-nine people were asked to complete an online survery and assign the given terms;

active / aloof / bold / calm / friendly / intolerant / shy / stubborn / tolerant / trainable

? to five different colors of cats

orange / tricolored / white / black / bi-colored

And found;

There were significant differences in how participants in this study chose to assign personality terms to differently colored cats.

For example, participants (n = 189) were more likely to attribute the trait ?friendliness? to orange cats, ?intolerance? to tri-colored cats, and ?aloofness? to white and tri-colored cats.

White cats were seen as less bold and active and more shy and calm than other colors of cats.

While survey respondents stated that they placed more importance on personality than color when selecting a companion cat, there is some evidence that they believe the two qualities are linked.

Knowing that people are probably making inaccurate generalisations about coat colour, means well-written pet profiles on adoption sites like PetRescue then become key in educating potential adopters that colour is less significant than the personality traits of individual cats. We can also give special attention to those cats who spend extra time with rescue, as potentially their colour could be acting as an impediment to their adoption.

Do you find certain cat colours ?walk out the door?, while others take a little longer to find their forever families?

Source: http://www.savingpets.com.au/2012/12/does-colour-matter-when-it-comes-to-cat-adoptions/

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