Black Cats are 'Lucky' After All

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Halloween conjures images of mysterious black cats that cross paths and bring bad luck. According to Petplan pet insurance, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Among the cat population, black cats are the least accident-prone, resulting in the lowest number of pet insurance claims.

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Based on Petplan's insurance claims, black cats are 15% less likely to be victims of an accident or injury compared to their colorful kitty counterparts. By contrast, orange cats are twice as likely as their inky cousins to be involved in a mishap. These unforeseen accidents can cost a small fortune.

Petplan's most "unlucky" cat to date is a grey one, named April. After ingesting a belly's worth of plastic, she required extensive surgery. Luckily, April survived and so did the family's bank account. Petplan picked up 99% of the $5,000 veterinary bill for the insured cat, their highest feline accident claim to date.

While black cats may be lucky in avoiding accidents, they are not as fortunate when it comes to being adopted. According to a study by the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, black cats are often the last to be selected at an animal shelter.

Despite this, "Lucky" is the third most popular name of black cats insured by Petplan. Subscriber favorites include "Midnight" as the top choice with "Boo" as the next preferred. Black cat names inspired by popular culture include "Beetlejuice," "Optimus Prime," "Leroy Brown," and "Jesse James."

"Regardless of the color of your pet, this Halloween keep all furry friends away from lit jack-o-lanterns, decorations, and candy," advises veterinarian Dr. Jules Benson, Petplan's Vice President of Veterinary Services. The average veterinary cost of chocolate ingestion by a pet is scary indeed ... upwards of $1,000.00. Additional Halloween safety tips are available on Petplan's webpage (http://www.GoPetplan.com/newsletter/201010/newsletter.aspx).

About Petplan

Petplan is America's #1 rated pet insurance company, offering comprehensive accident and illness health insurance for dogs and cats. Petplan offers simple, customizable policies to meet any coverage requirements and budget and is the only pet health insurance provider to cover all hereditary and congenital conditions for the life of the pet without dollar limits per condition. For more information, visit http://www.GoPetplan.com or call 1-866-467-3875.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Jules Benson - https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=97804

SOURCE Petplan