9-20-2023 7:55am

The Clifton Times Pet of the Week: Meet Barbie and Ken!

Meet Barbie and Ken, two beautiful, bonded, black 4-month-old kittens who are looking for a home together through the Clifton Animal Shelter. They are fully vetted and have received their first round of vaccines. The shelter will help adopters keep them up to date on their required boosters as they grow. They have already been scheduled for their spay and neuter surgeries, which are also included in their adoption fees. Check out their Petfinder profile HERE.

As you can see from their photos, Ken and Barbie love being together and the shelter would like to keep them together as bonded pairs are more likely to be better adjusted. Much of this comes from how the two interact and share day-to-day activities, like eating and playing together, and finding comfort in each other. Having two cats isn’t extra work as they share toys, a water dish, and a dry food dish, though the shelter recommends having two separate wet bowls. In fact, it can be easier than having one kitten, because they will keep one another entertained and will wrestle one another and not your feet!

There is evidence for “black cat bias,” the phenomenon where cats with black coats are viewed more negatively, adopted less often, and euthanized more often than lighter-colored cats, perhaps because they don’t photograph as well as cats with other coat colors. In a study of shelters in Colorado, solid black cats took an average of 26.55 days to be adopted compared to 20.64 days for their non-black counterparts. Although a difference of 6 days may seem trivial, this additional stay can heighten a cat’s risk of various infections. One study found that each day in a shelter was linked to a 5% increased risk of acquiring an upper respiratory tract infection. Cats may also experience stress-related flare-ups of illnesses with prolonged stays in the shelter. As cat aficionados know, black cats are every bit as loving and wonderful as cats with coats of any other color, and as fashionistas everywhere know, black goes with everything! Especially around Halloween, what could be more seasonal than a pair of beautiful black kitties to blend in with your decor?

If you are able to give Ken and Barbie the furever home they deserve, please fill out the adoption application at the Clifton Animal Shelter and someone will contact you to discuss and answer any questions that you may have and set up a time to come in to meet them. The shelter does this to ensure that the environment is calm and conducive to having potential adopters get a good sense of the personality of the companion animal and to avoid subjecting them to unnecessary stress. The shelter is located in the City Hall Complex at 900 Clifton Avenue in Clifton (shelter phone number: 973-470-5936).

You can also support the Clifton Animal Shelter by donating via their PayPal link or by donating supplies to them from their wishlists (Chewy or Amazon).

Please consider adding Ken and Barbie to your home! The Clifton Animal Shelter has many wonderful cats and kittens in need of homes, ready to bring lots of love and joy to your home. Check out their page on Petfinder to see their sweet faces.