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Caption Black cat month

Oct 26, 2018 Estonian Life No. 43 2018


"My name is Süsi (Coal) not Eba/õnn (Bad Luck). I want to find a loving home too. Kirjuta mulle." (Write me). Oktoober is Musta kassi kuu (Black Cat Month) at the Kasside Turva/kodu (cats' "safe home", i.e. shelter) in Tallinn. It is an MTÜ or mitte/tulundus/ühing – nonprofit organization, as is Varju/paikade MTÜ (varju/paik is another word for a shelter), which has a network of seven animal shelters all over Eesti. For the past five years, their successful kampaania has been: Oktoobris mustad kassid loovutus/tasuta!" – In October a release (i.e. adoption) fee need not be paid for black cats. Loovutama is to give away, give up. The release fee for cats is usually 25€, since they have been checked by a veterinarian, steriliseeritud / kastreeritud, have received all necessary vaktsiinid, parasiidi/tõrje (had parasites eradicated) and have been gifted with a mikro/kiip (microchip).

Why do black cats tend to not be adopted as often or as quickly as other cats? Is it eba/usk (superstition) or the fact that they are not as fotogeenilised in this age of posting your pets on sotsiaal/meedia? They very well might have eri/võimed (special powers) and two smaragd/rohelist (emerald green) or mere/vaigu/karva (amber coloured) eyes glowing in a sea of siidine (silky) black is always a sight to behold.
In oktoober of 2017, 137 cats found new homes from the Varjupaigad group of shelters. Varjupaikade MTÜ has currently set up an exclusive black cat galerii (http://varjupaik.ee/paku-kodu/oktoober-musta-kassi-kuu) and I suggest visiting the site (https://kassideturvakodu.ee/) to see the dedicated and charming way they introduce each individual kass and their story. Süsi, Mustu, Mustik, Mustikas and Öö await!

Riina Kindlam, Tallinn

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