Halloween competitions to raise cash for Luton cat rescue centre - including pumpkin carving and cute black cat pictures

A Luton cat rescue centre is running spooky competitions this Halloween, to raise vital equipment funds - and to prove that black cats don’t mean bad luck.

TACO Cat Rescue was initially set up in the name of Taco the tabby kitten, who lost his life due to backyard breeding. Its aim is to try and help rehabilitate and rehome any unwanted cats and kittens.

Now it is hosting some Halloween fun, inviting people to send in their pictures of their pumpkin carving creations and their cute black cats in a bid to turn around their reputation as being ‘bad luck’.

A spokesman from TACO explained: "We do find black cats harder to home as a lot of people believe that they are bad luck - especially with them being associate with witches at Halloween."

Reasons cited for people not wanting to rehome a black cat include not being able to see them in the dark and not being able to take good photographs of black cats - along with superstitious beliefs that they are evil or not as friendly as other colours, that they bring home bad luck or that people are afraid of the colour black.

She added: "The truth is every cat has its own personality the colour is insignificant."

To enter the competition, send in pictures of your black cats dressed up, or being funny and spooky. Entries are £1.50, and you must be 18+ to enter.

Prizes for the black cat competition range from bottles of wine, to a box of chocolates. The deadline for this competition is October 29.

Entries must be sent in picture form to [email protected] or via TACO’s Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/TACAcatrescueLuton

Entry fees can be paid via bank transfer.

You can also share your incredible pumpkin carving creations. There are two age categories for the pumpkin competition, which is open to four to eight-year-olds, and eight to 12-year-olds. The deadline for entries is October 31, and it costs £1.50 to take part.

Prizes up for grabs in this competition range from gift vouchers to a teddy bear with chocolates.