THERE'S a touch of black magic going on in the Forest at the moment, with an unexplained boom in the number of black cats.

"I've never known anything quite like it, we've got black cats everywhere," says Sara Ford of Forest of Dean Cat Protection.

"I've been inundated with them and I have absolutely no idea why. I mean I like black cats, but we don't normally see this many."

Of the 30 cats in cat protection care in the Forest, 13 are now black – unlucky for some.

"And what's more," adds Sara. "Just to make them even more of a challenge, none of them likes other cats. Except Betsy, but she doesn't like men, so is no easier to home than any of the others,"

Betsy being the sob story of the black moggy mob. She was found emaciated and virtually hairless in Monmouth, weighing just 1.8kg. A healthy normal cat weighs in at 4kg.

"It was a bit iffy if she would make it at all," says Sara. "Virtually all her coat had fallen out and she was terribly thin. But she's recovered very well, now weighs about 3kg and she's growing her hair back. Turns out she's black and long haired."

The sudden wave of black cats is a bit galling for the cat protection organisation which tries to stick by its policy to: "help any cat in need regardless of colour, sex, behavioural habits or age."

Homes for all the cats are desperately needed, so if you can re-home or adopt any of the cats, whether black or otherwise, get in touch with the Forest of Dean Cat Protection's catline on 01594 841511 or go to the website http://www.catsforestofdean.co.uk">www.catsforestofdean.co.uk

•Although it's assumed black cats are harbingers of doom or the familiars of witches, that's not true in England or Japan where they're seen as good luck. In Scotland if a strange black cat moves into your home it's believed to bring prosperity. And sailors thought a black ships cat to be the luckiest of all. King Charles I was so convinced his black cat would keep him safe, he ordered soldiers to guard it night and day. Just after it died, Cromwell's troops arrived to arrest him – makes you think!