I just sent them a polite email telling them about the concern I have with their commercial, and the problem with black cats and dogs being passed up, and respectfully asked them to show a black dog or cat being adopted in any future ads they may do along that line. I hope someone actually reads it. At first, I was going to vent anger, but then I decided it might be better to be polite.

Sally

My assumption was that they were focusing on the "adopt an adult cat" instead of kitten.

Black cats are sometimes hard to video/photograph well. The expressions get lost. It really could be as simple as that.

Why aren't black animals adopted as much, I wonder? Is it considered unlucky? Next time I adopt a cat, I specifically intend to adopt a black cat -- I've found I'm much less allergic to them, for some odd reason.

I have friends who have a black cat and a patch black and white cat, that are indoor-outdoor.

They have to keep the black one indoor for the last week of October because the neighborhood twerps have been known to torture black cats.

I'll give you that it's good they showed her adopting and adult cat. That's definately a good thing.

Sally

It may be poor quality when the average person photographs their black pet but the answer is lighting and this wouldn't be a problem for a tv crew so I'm guessing that's not the reason they didn't use a black cat.

I picked a black puppy this time. My son/DIL rescued a black long hair dog. I had never heard black animals are less adopted/chosen. My all time best dog---the one I spayed myself while working for a vet---was black.

But, I pick an animal according to temperment and personality---not color.

A pet company does not intentionally produce a commercial that makes people mad. The explanation about the adult adoption is also my understanding of that particular commercial. I wonder if someone might have been upset had the kitten been calico?

Have had several black lab mixes over the years. My hound is mostly black,tho i picked him because he needed a home immediately. I 've always had a special fondness for black labs. Had a couple of grey cats once.
One of my neighbors has 4 black cats. Guess i've never noticed more of one color than another. Never pay attention to commercials.
oakleif

Handmac says.. A pet company does not intentionally produce a commercial that makes people mad. The explanation about the adult adoption is also my understanding of that particular commercial. I wonder if someone might have been upset had the kitten been calico?
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I agree handymac. I only caught a bit of the commercial the other night. I said WOW! you go Iams! I love the fact that they are promoting adoptions.
As far as black animals being less adopted, most people don't even know that. Don't blame Iams.
But back to black animals. Did you know that rescues have big black mixed breed dogs so often that most just shorten to calling them BBD's? So if you are considering adopting a large dog you might consider a black one. They are so overlooked in shelters.:-(
BTW, I have 2 black cats out of 4. I just love'em. But if any of you are thinking of adopting one, many rescues will not allow those adoptions around halloween. Although I have heard, but not verified, that some will actually promote them at this time.""ugh>> I hope they screen very thoroughly.

Okay, I guess I missed the point of the commercial...well, I know the point is to sell their cat food, but the adoption of the adult cat is a winner.

My co-worker, who has several black cats, among countless other cats of all colors, took her latest 2 rescues to the vet for a check up. One is black, the other looks like a cream puff - light beige and long haired. The vet techs oohed and aahed and reached for the cream puff, ignoring the black cat.

If the kitten in the commercial was calico, of course I wouldn't have been upset. This post is about the homeless situation of BLACK animals. Actually, I'd be thrilled if they used a calico kitten in that situation in that commercial, showing the lady passing up the cute calico in favor of a more mundane orange tabby adult. But they showed her passing up a black cat for an orange one. If a calico cat and a black cat, both the same age and temperment (of course, I know that's unlikely) were up for adoption, the calico would likely be adopted first. That's just the way it is.

Sally

Like I said Sally. I don't think most people even realize black animals are overlooked so often. From what I've read, Iams wasn't saying pass up the black kitten, they were saying instead of adopting a cute kitty why not adopt an older cat. Am I wrong. I might be because I only caught a bit of the commercial, if it was even the same one. I just know the one I saw was promoting adoption of some sort. Unlike a Discovery Card commercial years ago that really caused an uproar among rescues. They were promoting pet store puppies over shelter dogs. (((UGH)))
I think Iams should be commended.

If you missed the point of the commercial then it was an ineffective commercial. I haven't seen it but if I assume it was intended to associate the brand Iams with happy thoughts such as pet adoption. This is make believe not real life. This reminds me of all the people that complain about the fast food restaurant commercials which a pearly white, smiling and friendly cashier but in real life it's not that way. Unless you're at chik-fil-a then the cashiers all look like they were recruited from the Mickey Mouse Club.

I haven't seen the commercial - but I think it was nice of you to send them a polite email asking them to feature a black cat or dog in their next commercial - can't hurt to ask!

I know whenever I have foster kittens and they are ready to be put up for adoption, the lighter ones always seem to go first. We had a fabulous little guy, he was personality plus. He was all black with tuxedo white markings and wonderful long white whiskers... I called him Puss N Boots. He eventually got a home, but he was the last to go of his litter.

Statistics do show big black dogs are the most prevalent in shelters, but in ours we have way more brown mixes currently and far too many pitbulls. Yesterday alone we got in 6 dogs, 5 of which were pits and 1 was injured, yet was as sweet as she could be. But pitbulls are another topic for debate I guess!

Sher

But pitbulls are another topic for debate I guess!

Sher
Yes that is another topic but I'll chance putting in my 2cents. In many shelters the pitbulls do not contribute to the over crowding. It's an automatic death sentence for them and pitbull crosses, with no chance of adoption. :-( Yet people continue to breed them.

I have 2 black dogs and 10 black cats. So there, I have no luck at all!! HA! HA!

I did not know that black cats and dogs were over represented at shelters.

My first cat was tuxedo colored and I know several people with black or tuxedo cats. I'm very fond of tuxedos.

I don't imagine that the staging of the commercial was an accident, altho' the directors may not have articulated why they chose the cats.

Subconsciously there is the perception that 'most people' will find the orange cat cuter.

A pity that, because I've beeen lucky enough to have 4 black cats in my life and actually think they are not only more attractive and more intelligent, but then -- sterotypes rarely make much sense!

I have seen this commercial, but never noticed a cat being chosen over another based on fur type. When I saw this commercial, I thought it was sweet seeing the adult tabby adopted over a kitten. In the commercial, it was supposedly the cat's expression that caught the person's eyes.

I have 3 house rabbits- the last one I adopted was a little albino male. These are basically the last to go- after black or any other color, and he sat for quite a while before we took him. He's a sweet little guy, but sometimes thinks "outside the litter box" :)

Our local humane society is having a Black Friday adoption promo this weekend, said on the news that they had too many black animals needing homes.

I saw this commercial today -- I didn't think the "chosen" cat was an adult -- more like a young kitty (6-8 months old). The way it ran up to her in bed did not make it look like an adult cat and it also did not look fully grown.

So... I think the OP made a good point although I am sure IAMS didn't realize how it looked. I agree -- a polite letter asking them to consider showing more black cats would be in order. I also agree that it is difficult to photograph black cats well.

I am just happy they didn't show pure bred cats in a pet store and were actually promoting adoptions of any kind. I think they deserve a thank you.