Christine called me last week to tell me her Halloween trick or treat story.  She has a very friendly black cat that likes to share equal time inside and outside the house.  Inside?  Not a problem.  Outside on Halloween night?  Let's just say that the neighborhood kids are a bit apprehensive of a rather large black cat.  And the name doesn't help.  Salem.  Even with her offer of top of the line candies to hand out, many kids steer clear.

After giving this some thought, I have come up with some solutions to this dilemma.  While you can't do anything about a black cat that's your pet, you CAN choose NAMES that are a little less intimidating.  Here's our Top 10.  

 WHAT TO NAME YOUR BLACK CAT IF YOU WANNA REMOVE THE FEAR FACTOR

• Spot: Is what scares you the pitch blackness? No other marking, no other color? Oh, the irony.
• Justin Bieber: If you're over the age of 16 and have been forced to attend a concert by the similarly-named singer, we understand how this moniker could evoke some fear. However, for the majority, it just means your animal is harmless and has great hair.
• Tuna: This name serves two purposes: 1) You're capturing the essence of a cat's greatest love. 2) He'll be desensitized when you comment about your lunch options -- instead of evoking a Pavlovian response that sends him bolting into the kitchen.
• Betty White:  I thought up this one.  The name's got some reverse top spin on it when used with a black cat.  There's also some overtones of comedy, with the added bonus of pet advocacy.
• Boo Boo: It's like exposure -- when you come to face to face with your fear to get over it. Give your black cat a ghostly Halloween name and you'll see it's not so scary after all. Instead of shouting Boo! -- you'll be cooing it.
• Stevens: You know, as in Cat. Cat Stevens. Yusuf Islam doesn't have quite the same effect though.
• Felix: Remember the cartoon black cat that first popped on the scene back in 1919? He evolved over the past 100-ish years, but one thing that stayed consistent? His ear-to-ear grin. See also: Figaro
• Unicorn: We saw a shelter cat given this moniker and couldn't stop smiling. The cat -- sans horn -- looked pretty pissed off, but everyone looking in on him had a good little laugh.
• Lion: If you're expecting a lion, and get a tiny little kitty cat, you're going to be relieved, not scared!