Just a friendly reminder...

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Anyone who owns black cats please remember to keep them in over Halloween. A lot of people on Halloween night and Mischief Night (the night before) think its fun to harm or even kill black cats for superstitious reasons.

So just a friendly reminder to keep all of your kitties safe!

Baba I'm so sorry to hear about your cat. That's so awful.

"What is a Matrix patrol?"

It's a specialist team, kitted out in riot gear.

On the plus side, at certain times, I live in an area safer than Buckingham Palace.

Once the Police are out, the "kids" have a new target, so everyone else is left alone.

My Sister, who lives in a bubble, didn't believe me, like posters on here often don't. Then one night we were sitting outside in her car having a chat, after being at hers, about 10pm and she saw for herself.

The Police were out and one of the lads got arrested (he had stabbed someone), which ended with the teens (and younger kids) trapping the Police car and kicking the hell out of it. It took the Matrix patrol to shift them, the younger kids stay and give them abuse because they know they can't be arrested.

Black cats are not seen as unlucky here in the UK like they are in America. They are actually seen as good luck.

Dont think we have mischief night where I am, but we did have some arrogant twats setting off fireworks at 11.30pm. Take care of all your pets over the next few days!

I think OP was just being kind and concerned, giving a timely reminder.

A lot of cats and dogs are targeted and abused year round, but particularly at this time of year.

What a shame that some arrogant twats have hijacked the thread and poured scorn on the warning.

Just because Mischief Night might not be a thing where you live in your little bubbles doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.

Never heard of this.

I'll be careful though.

Mischief night is 4th November in Yorkshire, not 30th October.

I wonder if Mischief Night on 4th November is all that remains of the former holiday of Hallowe'en, which may have died out with the Reformation?

It has always been the night before Hallowe'en in the US, with the concept of a night of mischief and mayhem probably imported from RC areas of Europe, mainly Ireland. The city of Detroit had a major issue with arson and criminality on Devil's Night as Mischief Night is known there, well into the 1990s.

Hallowe'en itself used to feature far more mischief up to about the 1970s in the US and Ireland (where it has always been a fixture). RC Church authorities tried hard to eliminate the secular Hallowe'en celebration that was very boisterous bordering on outbreaks of criminality, in favour of the religious feasts of All Souls and All Saints. In the US the holiday was a major nuisance and was gradually transformed into the very tame candypalooza that it now is, and that spread to Ireland and apparently recently became re-established in many parts of Britain.

I have a little black indoor cat. She finds the 4th of July terrifying, but Hallowe'en isn't really a fireworks night in the US.

So sorry to hear of the attack on your poor cat, Babababababybel23.

I really would be careful about pets on Hallowe'en. You never know who they will run into. Better safe than sorry.

Thanks to the OP for posting.

I'm Irish and have never heard of Mischief Night, math.

Maybe it's a more American 'Irish' thing.

OP not sure why you got such hostile replies. I'll be keeping my pets indoors for the next few nights.

No - it's not 'mischief night' in Ireland. It's what plain old Hallowe'en used to be all about in Ireland and also in the US. Somehow or other it became separated from Hallowe'en in Detroit and a few other places in the US, so Hallowe'en became a two act festival - mischief one night and trick or treating the next.

My sister has black cats and lives in the US and they are kept in during Halloween. The OP has a fair point, even if it may be just children not used to cats treating them a bit roughly.

A lot of rain on the evening on Tuesday would put a stop to this US tradition in the UK, but is unlikely.

It's a British Isles tradition that emigrated to the US and is now making the return journey to Britain, but it has always been going strong in Ireland.

OP posts a helpful message to encourage animal safety and people laugh, mock confusion and ask for proof etc!?

This was actually on the news a couple of years back. If you don't believe it, ignore it! I'd keep my cats in if I owned them (can't stand them personally!). Better to be safe than sorry surely.

It does happen we’ve had several vicious attacks on local cats around here 😞

It's a British Isles tradition that emigrated to the US and is now making the return journey to Britain, but it has always been going strong in Ireland.

Where in Ireland? I've lived all over and have family all over and have literally never heard of it.

Thanks op! Black cat killings is a thing around here (somewhere in south West) Some rescue shelters warn people about it too.

Can't believe some people were rude to someone who was trying to help.

Oh my god Baba, so horrific..your poor little cat and poor you. I hope they caught the little fuckers, but I suspect not

I didn't know that black and white cats were more likely yo be used as dog bait. I know that a lot of cats that are 'given away' on places like Gumtree often end up being used in dog fights though...just appalling.

I shall most definitely be keeping my cat in. The noise of fireworks alone is enough to terrify a cat.

Oh crap. My gorgeous and stupidly condo foment black has been really scared for a couple of days. Won't settle and on high alert etc. Not like her at all so I posted on the litter tray but this makes sense and her name is mischief (she's a rescue haha).

Confident not condo for Kent!

No never found out who it was, it was almost 8 years ago and she is still going strong. Just looks a bit odd with her one eye and half ears. Thankfully she didn't go deaf. So bonfire night is absolutely terrifying for her and she always hides. Also jumps if she hears a lighter or sees fire.
Animals can be traumatised too. Not that some disgusting people care. Not to mention how difficult it is to catch these people or even prove they did it unless you see them yourself.
Definetly keep animals in around this time, I blamed myself for letting her go out and I was only 14 at the time

aww socks she is adorable! Yes keep her safely cosied up inside!

My cat is happy to go out for a bit each day but generally states very close to the house and is happier either on our bed or under our bed! I think as she is a rescue and was re-homed several times prior to us, she's a bit jittery.

Oh wow your cat is still alive?? How amazing..what a superstar!

Poor thing..must have been utterly traumatising. I hate people who are cruel to animals. It's often only a short step to mistreating kids and people too.

There's a thread on The Litter Tray all about the Cat Killer running. Psycho in the making for sure.

How could anyone want to hurt something as daft as him eh

Dave, your cat is gorgeous

Mischief night is certainly a thing here in Merseyside. Mainly cars getting egged but my sil also had a rock chucked through her windscreen from a footbridge one year It's a pain in the arse.