These mischievous felines were very lucky when it mattered

Black cats are Halloween favorites. However, this is in part because they get a bad rap.

These raven-hued felines were once thought to be witch familiars or witches in disguise and today are seen in many western cultures as an omen of misfortune or bad luck. The misconceptions surrounding black cats, however sensational, have material implications: Compared to non-black cats, black cats are admitted to shelters at higher rates and adopted at lower rates, which means they are more likely to be euthanized—a phenomenon known as “black cat bias.”

To combat their poor reputation and promote the welfare of these sweet little house panthers, the month of October was dubbed Black Cat Awareness Month, with Oct. 27 serving as National Black Cat Day.

We’re highlighting some of our favorite black cat Hambone Award nominees whose surprising situations could be considered a stroke of bad luck. Though, in a happy ending, their parents were prepared with pet insurance.

Scary sofa smoosh

Named for the character in cult-favorite TV show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” Giles was adopted from a black cat rescue in New York City by his pet parents, Kaitlyn R. and Reid W. He’s a charismatic and loving kitty, but one who loves finding unusual spots to hang out. This led to a fur-ightful Hambone-Award-winning incident.

Reid's parents stayed on a pull-out couch at the couple’s apartment during the momentous visit in question. Reid alerted his parents to Giles’ love of hiding in weird places and asked his parents to double check before folding the sofa back together. However, in an early morning rush to get to the airport, they forgot to look underneath. As a result, Giles got smooshed inside the couch.

He says, “I [had] no idea what was going on—we got him in his carrier and ran him up the street. Luckily, we have a wonderful vet hospital just around the corner from us, so we were able to take him right there. Fortunately, it wasn't too bad. He did need some stitches … but he was the model patient, as he always is.” Giles made a speedy recovery, and Kaitlyn and Reid’s surprise veterinary bills were cushioned by Nationwide.

A spooky disappearance

“I grew up watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” says cat dad David S. “And I was like, ‘I really need a black cat named Salem.’” Luckily, a black cat crossed his path one day, and his life was changed forever.

However, Salem’s love of attention—and dislike for anything competing for David’s attention, especially his earbuds—led to a late-night magic trick and a double trip to the ER.

David says, “I got home super late one day, and I dropped my earbuds on my table. Then, I hear a smack on the ground.” This wasn’t an unusual occurrence, thanks to Salem. However, when David went to pick up the dropped earbud, he discovered it was—gone.

“So, I'm panicking because—okay, where did it go?” he says. Thinking maybe Salem swallowed the missing earbud, David listened close to her belly. “I put music on loud, and I'm like, ‘Do I hear anything?’ I swear I did.”

This one trip to the veterinary ER turned into a follow-up, an X-ray and an ongoing mystery. “It’s been a year now, and I still have not found it. I'm not getting another one. She wins.” For his part, David was reimbursed for his eligible veterinary expenses.

Avoiding a ‘cat’astrophe

Natasha, a black Siberian forest cat in California, gave herself—and her owner—quite a fright when snooping around the laundry room turned into a wild ride.

“Since I brought Natasha home as a newborn kitten, she had always been very curious about the washing machine,” explained cat dad Daryl H. “She would always peek inside, but I never thought she would jump in.” One day, curiosity got the best of her.

Daryl knew something was wrong soon after he turned the machine on. Inside, he found his beloved kitty. “I knew I had to make a quick decision,” he says. “Natasha was shaking and crying. I knew she was frightened, and I was frightened for her.”

At the hospital, Natasha was treated for hypothermia and shock but was very fortunate to escape the scary ordeal without any broken bones or more serious injuries. The veterinarian even praised Natasha as the most pleasant-smelling pet they had ever treated, and Nationwide covered the eligible costs.

Don’t count on luck to keep your pet healthy

Black cats aren’t inherently unlucky, but they are just as mischievous as any other feline. Pet insurance isn’t a good luck charm, but Nationwide does provide pet parents with peace-of-mind support if the unexpected happens.

Get a quote at petinsurance.com.