New film with near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score causes black cat adoptions to surge

Flow won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film

Black cat adoptions have faced a surge since the release of Oscar-winning animation film Flow, according to animal charities.

Sadly black cats and kittens are often overlooked and take longer to rehome due to traditionally being associated with superstition, bad luck or witchcraft - but now, animal charities and shelters have seen a surge in adoptions.

The Latvian film, which follows a black cat trying to survive after a flood, is being credited for transforming the perceptions of black cats worldwide.

Animal charities across Europe and South America have reported a rise in adoptions and the same is also happening in the UK. Since the film was released in 2024, the Blue Cross has seen a staggering 53 per cent rise in black cats being rehomed.

Previously, rescue centres had reported difficulties in rehoming black cats due to to superstition and even because they aren't as photogenic as other coloured cats.

Katie Radcliffe, head of rehoming and fostering service operations at pet charity Blue Cross, said: “We’re happy to hear more people are considering the magic black cats can bring into people’s lives.

“Many people still associate them with superstition, but in some parts of the world, black cats are said to bring good fortune. We think black cats are just beautiful and would always urge people to choose a cat, or any new pet, on its character, not its looks.

“Fur colour makes no difference to how much affection they have to give. If you can bring some magic into their lives. they are sure to bring some joy into yours.”

It has also been reported pet owners have been asking for "Flow cats" rather than "black cats" and there's also been an increase in them being named Flow.

In Brazil, the country's Ampara Animal Institute, anon-governmental organisation specialising in animal protection, also reported seeing a demand for black cats.

They said: “What not everyone realises is the real impact it has had: increasing interest in adopting black cats, which have faced prejudice for so long.”

Second Chance Pet Adoptions, based in Murrieta, California, USA, said on social media: "Flow, the Academy Award-winning animation, has helped increased the adoption of black cats, who are often victims of discrimination and abandonment due to superstition."

The UK Cinema Society Club also posted on Facebook: "The Oscar-winning animated film "Flow" has led to a surge in black cat adoptions! With a black cat as its brave protagonist, the film has helped reshape perceptions, breaking old superstitions and highlighting their charm.

"Shelters are reporting more interest in these often-overlooked felines, with some new pet parents even naming their cats "Flow'."

The film, which has won over 50 awards including an Oscar and a Golden Globe, charts the journey of a cat learning to work with other animals to survive a flood. It has received critical acclaim from film reviewers worldwide since it was first shown in France last year.