I use reflective readings interpreted using the zone system exclusively when using ambient light. When using flash, as I did for for the first shot, I take incident reading with a flash meter. With a black cat I usually add a small amount of extra exposure (I think 2/3 stops) to make the cat less "black" and then darken it in post processing.

Cats have a lot of attitude - "Cattitude" - which makes it a lot of fun to capture.

Here are some great candids of black cats:

https://iso.500px.com/beautiful-black-cats-photos/
http://www.boredpanda.com/i-photograph-black-cats-to-promote-adoption/

I am reading the various comments about the pros and cons of incident and reflective metering. I would have agreed that incident metering in the days of film was almost a necessity unless you were Adam's like in your zone theory. But with today's instant review on the lcd screen, it makes much less difference. I would agree that an incident meter will most often yield the better exposure, but I seldom have the motivation to pull out my handheld meters when it is so easy to do a reading from the camera meter, adjust on the fly based on my experience and then just chimp the image and adjust as necessary. I actually don't think I have dragged out my Gossen in the past 15 years, even with studio flash portraits. It is just so damned easy to use today's amazing technology and wing it. If I meter a black dog and don't like how it appears in the screen (and the histo), it takes less time for me to adjust via aperture, SS or ISO than it would take to walk over to the cat, take the reading and set my camera manually.

It used to take skill to make well exposed photos. Now, many times, an amateur with an entry level DSLR set to program mode can often make a great image by pointing and shooting. Agreed that the case of a black critter requires some understanding of 18% gray, but all a newbie has to do is set the camera on program, shoot a 5 shot bracket set for 1/2 stop intervals and pick the best shot.

I was asked to come to a shelter and just shoot the black cats.
Im told they cant get a good pic of black cats, they say the never look good. They just use pop up flash on a point and shoot

so IM taking my soft box and the small softbox that fits my speedlight and im going to give it a try.

anyone have any suggestions on other lighting, positioning the lights etc...
and of course IM sure some of you will suggest heavy gloves, or bolting the equipment to the floor when the cat takes off from the flash...

The best photos posted here, especially of the horse have back or side lighting. Light from the sky behind the horse wraps around the horse giving texture. The cat that has a window to the side highlights the fur adding texture. Put one light to the side or above the subject and use the incident meter to have it at the same intensity or up to two stops less light than your main front light. It's the same thing people portrait photographers do to highlight hair, giving it texture and shine (but not too much shine).