Cats need our help now more than ever. If you are animal lover, check out these facts.

1. FACT SHEET ON CATS
November 2011
Cat Ownership
• Owners report fewer pet cats in 20111
• Veterinary visits for cats have declined over past decade 2
• Sixty percent of U.S. households do not own a cat (opportunity to increase capacity)
• Annual money spent by owners for veterinary care is less for cats than dogs1
Future Cat Ownership
• 1,102 respondents using an online survey tool (Zoomerang) indicated that 18 to 24 year-old men are the most
likely demographic group to be future U.S. cat owners3
• A growing Hispanic population, with owners having high human-animal bond affinity4
• Found Animal Foundation – 2012 Calendar features young men and their cats5
Public Interest
• “Homeless” animals is one of the top three social issues
recognized by the public6
1
American Pet Products Association 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey
2
CATalyst Q/A, www.catalystcouncil.org
3
Morris Animal Foundation Survey - 2009
4
Schoenfeld-Tacher R. et al., Comparison of strengths of the human-animal
bond between Hispanic and non-Hispanic owners of pet dogs and cats,
JAVMA, 236(5), 529-534, 2010
5
Found Animal Foundation, Dr. Gary Michelson – founder, Los Angeles
6
Petsmart Charities, IPSOS Survey, January 2010

2. The Issues
• Only 2% of stray cats are reunited with their owners, compared to 10% of stray dogs
• Alley Cat Allies estimate that 50 to 90 million feral or community cats live on U.S. streets with 7 to 22% of
households reporting feeding stray cats
• Some communities are now neutering and vaccinating stray cats and returning them to site of pickup
The Trends
• Budget cuts in many states are reducing animal control services7
• Oklahoma state law prohibits counties with less than 200,000 people from issuing animal control ordinance –
which also prohibits the operating of an animal shelter8
• Higher numbers of cats are surrendered to shelters nationwide than are dogs9
• Seven of every ten cats entering a shelter in the U.S. are at-risk for euthanasia10
• Since 1985, the relative number of dog intakes at the MSPCA has declined much more rapidly than for cats11
• Colorado data (2000-2007) illustrates that statewide, the number of intakes per thousand residents decreased
10.8% for dogs and increased 19.9% for cats; euthanasia rates also increased for cats12
• Cat intakes and death in Boston were associated with premature deaths in humans via geocoded addresses13
• Most people report that they sought to adopt or purchase a dog; more cats owners report that their cat
“found” them (strays)
• Shelter Population Index (SPI) information14
o SPI report analyzed cat and dog data for years 2007 and 2008
o Cat data are based on contributing shelters that served about 54% of the U.S. population
o Dog data are based on contributing shelters than served about 53% of the U.S. population
o Information on a total of 2,013,819 cats and 1,922,729 dogs was included
o SPI number of 0.000 was defined as neutral trend (SPI number of -1.000 would be worst-case scenario
where all animals that entered a shelter were euthanized or otherwise died. SPI number of +1.000 would
be best-case scenario where all animals that entered a shelter were adopted, reclaimed, etc.)
• Estimated national SPI for cats is - 0.204 for 2007 and - 0.197 for 2008
• Estimated nationval SPI for dogs is + 0.269 for 2007 and + 0.309 for 2008
7
Bloomberg Business Week, July 4-10, 2011
8
Coppola T. Communities as Shelters: Examining America’s Pet Overpopulation
Crisis. Controversy and Solutions, September 2010 (draft). P 44
9
Society for Animal Welfare Administrators, 2011
10
National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy – Shelter Statistics Survey, 1994-
1997
11
MSPCA data, provided 2011, compliments of Carter Luke, President
12
Morris et al., Trends in intake and outcome data for animal shelters in Colorado, 2000-
2007, JAVMA, 238(3), 2011
13
Patronek G., Mapping and measuring disparities in welfare for cats across
neighborhoods in a large U.S. city, AJVR 71(2) 161-168, 2010
14
John New, University of Tennessee, data released 8/5/2011