Just last year, I had an encounter with a fur coat that left me both aghast and amazed. At Chicago’s Modern Vintage Fashion event, there was an entire booth dedicated to fur. Now — indulge me for a second. I’m from the islands. Furs are not a part of the wardrobe in such climates. So visiting colder climes and now living in Chicago, has been quite the eye-opener. Because downtown, honey there are some women strutting their stuff in fur. And I can’t deny my fascination with it.

Fur is so soft. It’s so glam. It’s so over-the-top and decadent. There’s a part of me that loves the look of fur, particularly in moderation (head-to-toe fur is crazy tacky, IMO). But an even bigger part of me can only see the cruelty, the blood, the senseless murder of it all.

Before I get into all of that, back to Modern Vintage Chicago.

This particular booth was dripping in fur. All colors, all kinds. Fox and mink and chinchilla and rabbit, as well as more exotic-looking varieties. I walked around touching all of it. And then I came face to face with a fox stole. Complete with a pointy little nose, heartbreaking eye sockets, and little paws with pads and claws that reminded me so much of Max, my cat’s. It made me shudder. I just had to get out of that booth ASAP.

After being spooked by the stole, I had to SMH at myself. Because I eat meat. And I’ve been ardently seeking a leather jacket, because everything I’ve seen that’s pleather in plus size looks really cheap and fake. And I have a thing for suede. I realize that I am a total hypocrite.
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Aww, memories. This photo was taken in May, just before we moved to Chicago. I blogged about that trip here. I’m standing in my friend Forrest’s backyard in North Carolina. And I’m holding Coquito, the Norwegian Forest Cat they adopted. Coquito was SO cute, so fluffy. Utterly adorable. Unafraid of people, even strangers — on the night we slept over, Coquito got into bed with me and wrapped his long, fluffy tail around my husband’s head! Coquito was an awesome kitty.

Today I found out that my dear friends Forrest and Lydia have lost Coquito to coyotes. I am so, so sad about it. RIP, Coquito. I hope there is a kitty heaven, and I hope you are in it. And I hope eventually my dear friends take another shelter cat into their home, because they are great pet owners, and any pet would be lucky to share a home with them. (Love you guys!)

I am sure my friends are currently wondering what they could have done to prevent this — and sadly the answer is, nothing. Forrest lives on an awesome acreage, and it would have been cruel to deprive Coquito of the natural setting he so obviously loved. This was a cat that was all about climbing trees and bounding through the wildflowers with that long, bushy tail bouncing behind him. And if he was anything like my Max, if he was confined to just be an indoor cat and there was all that beautiful green space just waiting outside, he’d have found a way to get out anyhow.

I know lots of people who don’t like cats, or cite reasons for not wanting to own a cat. And one of those reasons is, cats are own-way pets who want to go and come as they please and show affection at their whim. That’s indisputable. Cats do as they please. Max is my furry BFF, but just minutes ago he decided it’d be fun to claw the bejesus out of my hand. They have minds of their own. That’s the downside of owning a cat — if you want a well behaved pet you can control, you may not want a cat. But there are so many other ways in which cats rule. And it’s worth noting, even when Max is at his feistiest, I love him and I’d highly advocate cat ownership to anyone considering getting a pet. Here’s why.
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Adopting a dog or cat can mean companionship, sure…but did you know that bringing a pet into your home can mean health benefits, too?

It’s true! According to the CDC, having a pet can decrease your blood pressure, and your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Pets can also increase your tendency to go out, make friends, and get exercise. (Of course, this is more true for dogs than cats. While some people have luck walking their cats on a leash, my Max would never allow a harness within 10 feet of him).

The benefits of owning a pet can go even further than this, especially if you have kids.

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If you’ve been reading this blog for a while (or following me on Twitter), you know that I’m a cat owner and an animal lover. I grew up with dogs, and honestly never thought I’d own a cat. But Max literally ran into my home, and into my heart. And although he’s a feisty little guy, our love is real and he’s made my life richer.

There’s something so awesome about coming home after a long day to a furry friend, who greets you with a delighted yelp or inquisitive meow, and is happiest when snuggled up with you on the couch.

These days, animal shelters are struggling. More and more of them are facing reduced donations. And because of the economy being in a period of slow recovery, many people are giving up their beloved pets in an effort to reduce their at-home costs. Because of that, many shelters are having to euthanize even more dogs and cats than ever before. Every year, of the 8 million dogs and cats that enter animal shelters, 3 million of these healthy and treatable pets are euthanized. In an effort to combat the difficulties faced by shelters across the country, The Humane Society, Maddie’s Fund, and the Ad Council has devised The Shelter Pet Project. Click here to visit!

The goal here is to increase shelter pet adoption, and to let everyone know that adorable pets are waiting for you to give them a loving home.

I fully support the Shelter Pet Project, and in order to help even more, I’m starting something new here on Afrobella. Bellas, fellas — I bring to you Afrobella ♥ Animals, where I’ll feature two shelter pets every month!

For my first month, I want to highlight an unfortunate trend in abandoned animals, one I’d LOVE to see reversed. It’s sometimes known as Black Dog Syndrome, Black Cat Syndrome, or Black Pet Syndrome. And what it means is, animals that are black in color have a harder time getting adopted than any other animal.

This article on NJ.com explains it well:

“The myth of the unlucky black cat is just a laughable superstition for most, but for animal adoption centers, it’s a real problem. Blacks cats are among the last cats adopted from shelters and rescues. They’re are more likely to be euthanized because of lack of adoption than non-black cats. They receive even more stereotyping around Halloween when images of the feline in frightening poses pop up in commercial and home decorations.”

Sad but true, ancient superstitions still hold true for people looking to adopt a pet. And consequently, black cats have the short end of the stick. But this extends to black dogs as well, and all of these critters are just as furry, loving, warm and sweet as any other cat or dog waiting for a forever home.

So for my first Afrobella ♥ Animals, allow me to introduce you to two cute and cuddly pets who could be your forever friends, if you live in their neck of the woods.

The Newfoundland puppy you see up above will be available at an adoption event TOMORROW, Saturday October 24, at Petco in Colorado from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Click here to learn more about him, and where you can scoop him up in your arms.

And Miss Kitty here is named Prudence, and she’s a 1 year old black kitty available at the Anti-Cruelty Society here in Chicago. Click here to see photos of Prudence!

Every month I’m gonna feature a doggie or kitty available for adoption, and I sincerely hope that someone steps up to give them the kind of loving home they deserve. For more pets near you, check out Petfinder, or The Shelter Pet Project!

Are you a pet owner? Tell me about the little fuzzball who makes your life complete!