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Saturday, May 25, the 145th day of 2013.
There are 220 days left in the year.
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Mieshelle Nagelschneider Author of "The Cat Whisperer" will join Jon and Talkin' Pets Saturday at 5 PM EST to discuss and give away her new book
THE CAT WHISPERER
Why Cats Do What They Do—and How to Get Them to Do What You Want
By Mieshelle Nagelschneider
Foreword by Gwen Cooper
A Bantam Books Hardcover | On Sale: March 5, 2013
Advance Praise for THE CAT WHISPERER
“Full of “think like a cat” advice, Nagelschneider’s work will make for happier human-feline households.” —Booklist
“Pet-owners despairing of getting their cats to behave will find new hope in this comprehensive guide. More than meets Nagelschneider’s goal of guiding owners to the strategies for behavioral and environmental change needed to address issues such as urination outside the litter box and aggressiveness.”
—Publishers Weekly
“I wish I had read The Cat Whisperer before I started filming Must Love Cats. The cats would have liked me a lot more.”
—John Fulton, host of Animal Planet’s Must Love Cats
“The reason people are so mesmerized by house cats is because they are truly miniature versions of lions, tigers, and leopards. In her book The Cat Whisperer, Mieshelle explains in the behavior of the house cat an unprecedented and a most accessible way, with her unique insight into the often misunderstood companion animal that is as wild as we have become civilized.”
—Jordan Carlton Schaul, PhD, Contributing Editor, National Geographic Society and Curator, Orange County Zoo
“Nagelschneider is a wizard at demystifying cat behavior and providing easy-to-follow steps for solving vexing problems. I dog-eared (or should I say cat-eared) so many pages for later reference that my book doesn’t want to close. Living with six demanding cats in a small house, I wish I’d had this excellent guide years ago.”
—Bob Tarte, Author of Kitty Cornered, Enslaved by Ducks, and Fowl Weather
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Who says you can’t train a cat? Just when you thought you had reached the end of your ball of twine, Mieshelle Nagelschneider, one of America’s most popular (and Harvard trained) cat behaviorists, comes to the rescue of perplexed cat owners everywhere with her authoritative new guide THE CAT WHISPERER: Why Cats Do What They Do—and How to Get Them to Do What You Want
(Bantam Book Hardcover; March 5, 2013). In it, Nagelschneider, who has been helping cat owners for over two decades, provides practical and effective strategies for solving every feline behavior problem imaginable—from litter box issues to scratching, spraying, biting, and beyond.
In this indispensible book, Nagelschneider explains that cats, like dogs, can be trained, but they require a different approach. To train a cat you need to understand how the mind of a creature who is not a pack animal works. This keen understanding of the unique way cats see the world—their need for safety and security, their acute territoriality, and their insatiable desire to catch and kill prey—is central to Nagelschneider’s work. In THE CAT WHISPERER, she takes readers step-by-step through her proven C.A.T. cat behavior modification plan, which is a commonsense course of action that can be specifically tailored to each individual cat. These easy-to-implement solutions help transform even the most anxiety-riddled companions into confident, gregarious, and relaxed cats who live longer, happier, and healthier lives.
In THE CAT WHISPERER, cat owners will learn:
· How to harness the power of “friendly pheromones” along with the importance of implementing an all-encompassing behavior plan (her proprietary 3-Part C.A.T. Plan) that covers every aspect of the behavior issue as well as transforming the cat’s environment.
· How to end aggression in multiple-cat households and help their cats coexist peacefully with groundbreaking techniques (including the Nagelschneider Method) based on social facilitation that creates a social glue between a tense multi-cat household that will help cats get along.
· Resolve once and for all the number one behavior issue in cats: litter box issues—even the notoriously difficult “pooping outside the box” issue.
· We are all cat whisperers—some anthropologists now believe we are genetically inclined to read animals well since we have lived amongst them for thousands of years. Mieshelle helps cat owners look at the world through the cat’s eyes to fix behavior problems.
Peppered throughout with stories and also her childhood memoir where cat whispering all began, Mieshelle Nagelschneider’s The Cat Whisperer is both an entertaining read and an endlessly useful resource.
About the Author:
Mieshelle Nagelschneider has worked extensively with thousands of cat owners and vets nationally and internationally solving their cat’s behavior issues. In 1999, she founded The Cat Behavior Clinic, a science-based consulting service that helps cat owners around the world understand and help their furry felines. She has been featured in Animal Planet’s Must Love Cats, Martha Stewart Living Radio, USA Today, Cat Fancy, Real Simple, and Feline Wellness, as well as on Salon.com, Pawnation.com, and NBC’s Petside.com.
THE CAT WHISPERER
Why Cats Do What They Do—and How to Get Them to Do What You Want
by Mieshelle Nagelschneider
A Bantam Hardcover * March 5, 2013
978-0-553-80785-1
Bhagavan "Doc" Antle Author of "Fierce Beauty" Preserving the World Of Wild Cats joins Jon and Talkin' Pets to discuss and give away his book Saturday at 5 PM EST
Fierce Beauty Celebrates Endangered Wild Cats with Stunning Photography
SAN RAFAEL, CA, October 2012 – Fierce Beauty is a vibrant photographic celebration of the beauty, power, and grace of the tigers, leopards, lions, ocelots, and other wild cats that inhabit the Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS). This wildlife preserve in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is home to more than one hundred rare animals, from ligers (a hybrid cross between a male lion and a tigress) that stretch nearly twelve feet long to cheetahs capable of running seventy miles per hour.
The intimate photographs in Fierce Beauty showcase these spectacular creatures in a natural setting, revealing their vibrant form and striking personalities and highlighting their significance in the world and the importance of protecting them. The more than three hundred images in Fierce Beauty, which artfully capture playful, tender, and imposing moments with wild cats, are accompanied by essays by such animal-rights luminaries as zoologist and TV personality Jim Fowler and Dakota Zoo director Terry Lincoln, among others, and a foreword by renowned actor and activist Robert Duvall. Discover what makes these animals unique cohabitants of mankind with dozens of exclusive never-before-seen portraits from preeminent nature photographers Tim Flach and Barry Bland.
Fierce Beauty is a treat for wildlife enthusiasts, cat lovers, and photography buffs of all stripes. Proceeds from the book help fund the preservation efforts of the Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS).
Bhagavan Antle is the director of the TIGERS wildlife preserve in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the founder of the Rare Species Fund, which supports animal conservation projects around the world.
Robert Duvall is an American actor and director, starring in some of the most acclaimed and popular films and TV shows of all time. He and his wife, Luciana Pedraza, are active supporters of Pro Mujer, a nonprofit charity organization dedicated to helping Latin America’s poorest women, and of efforts to preserve endangered species, particularly tigers.
Tim Flach, best-selling author of Dog’s Gods and Equus, is a photographer best known for his highly conceptual portraits of animals. His images of animals are a departure from traditional wildlife photography, and he has been described as “a potent example of a commercially trained photographer who’s now reaching a global audience through the boom in fine art photography.” His clients include the Sunday Times, Cirque du Soleil, Sony, Hermès, and the Locarno International Film Festival. His images have twice been featured on UK Royal Mail stamps, and his fine art prints are represented in London by the Osborne Samuel gallery. Leading organizations and publications, including the Association of Photographers, American Photo, Photo District Annual, Communication Arts, Creative Review, and Design & Art Direction, have repeatedly honored Flach. He is the recipient of the International Photography Awards Professional Photographer of the Year.
Barry Bland is an internationally acclaimed photographer specializing in photography of animals both wild and tame. Barry’s work regularly appears in UK newspapers, including the Daily Mail, the Sun, Daily Telegraph, and Independent. In the U.S. he has been published in the New York Post, New York Daily News, and In Touch and People magazines, and his photos have appeared on Oprah, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, and ABC and NBC news.
National Pet Week May 5 – 11
Theme of ‘Love Your Pet, See Your Vet’ reminds pet owners to show they love their pet with the gift of good health
(SCHAUMBURG, Illinois) May 2, 2013—Pet owners love to show their pets affection by showering them with toys, fancy collars and even clothes. In fact, a recent survey indicated dog and cat owners spent $5 billion on gifts for their dogs and cats during the 2012 holiday season. During National Pet Week May 5 – 11 the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reminds pet owners the gift of good health is the best way to show you truly care.
This year’s theme, “Love Your Pet, See Your Vet,” reminds pet owners that regular veterinary medical checkups can detect disease early and keep your pet healthy and happy for many years to come. According to the 2012 AVMA U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographic Sourcebook, nearly 90 percent of dog owners and 75 percent of cat owners indicated that routine check-ups and preventive care are either very or somewhat important. However, the same study revealed that from 2006 to 2011, the number households not visiting the veterinarian increased by 8 percent for dog owners and 24 percent for cat owners.
“Regular veterinary visits are important because many times pets will hide symptoms of illness, so you need your veterinarian’s skill and expertise to keep your pets healthy,” says Dr. Douglas Aspros, president of the AVMA. “Providing pets with regular preventive care is the key to a healthy and long life for your pet, and it can save you hundreds – or even thousands – of dollars by preventing or identifying problems earlier, when they may be easier to treat and less expensive to solve,” said Dr. Aspros.
This National Pet Week, the AVMA urges you to talk with your veterinarian about your pet’s healthcare and what, if any, special needs your pet might have. The AVMA, your state veterinary medical association and your local veterinarian have tremendous resources for you.
For more information about National Pet week, please visit http://www.petweek.org/. For more information about the AVMA, please visit www.avma.org.
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The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world, with more than 84,000 member veterinarians worldwide engaged in a wide variety of professional activities.
Ulster County SPCA Rescues 103 Cats and Kittens From New Paltz Apartment
May 2, 2013, Kingston, NY: In conjunction with New Paltz Police, following a tip from a CPS caseworker, Ulster County SPCA Cruelty Investigators visited a New Paltz apartment in the early morning of Wednesday, April 24th 2013. Allegedly, numerous cats were being housed in the apartment, contributing to the ill health of both the cats and the child residing inside.
The owner of the cats was cooperative, recognizing a situation grown out of control, pleading with Investigators Fix and Saunders for a solution. The Ulster County SPCA organized a large rescue of the cats in the evening, removing them all to its shelter at 20 Wiedy Road, Kingston NY.
SPCA animal handlers spent more than 3 hours caging, inventorying and medically assessing the 103 felines, which ranged in age from newborns up to several years old. Many of the females were pregnant, and other cats suffered mild respiratory or intestinal illnesses. Five staff members from the Ulster County SPCA rescued the cats and kittens. Two staff members remained at the shelter to ready the rooms for the new arrivals. For several days following the rescue, the medical staff at the shelter tended to their health needs, which included surgery, FIV/FELV testing and vaccinations. All the cats will become available for adoption in 7-10 days of the rescue.
The UCSPCA typically houses 100-125 cats within the shelter. A rescue of this magnitude nearly doubled a population already at capacity. Assistance with the care of these animals is being provided by staff and volunteers and coordinated by long time Cat Department Supervisor, Robin Akus.
The UCSPCA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty to animals in Ulster County. Donations of canned and/or dry cat food, paper towels, blankets, towels, litter pans or a financial donation, no matter how small would be very much appreciated and can be dropped off at the shelter Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Donations can also be mailed. UCSPCA 20 Wiedy Roadd. Kingston, NY 12401. 845-331-5377. www.ucspca.org.
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Ulster County SPCA * 20 Wiedy Roadd * Kingston, NY * 12401
845-331-5377 * www.ucspca.org
Tuesday - Sunday 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM
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Mark Hughes, National Sales & Marketing Manager for Pet Care Systems, Makers of Sweat Scoop will join Jon and Talkin' Pets this Saturday at 6:30 PM EST to discuss & give away their cat litter
HEALTH AND THE PURR-SUIT OF HAPPINESS
Swheat Scoop Natural Cat Litter Helps Promote a
Healthy Lifestyle for Kitties and their Parents
DETROIT LAKES, MINN. – The sweet life is often described as having health and happiness at home
– and the makers of Swheat Scoop Natural Clumping Litter couldn’t agree more. To help pets and
parents achieve this higher level of living, they’ve spent nearly 20 years perfecting their natural cat
litter that’s distinguished by its performance and eco-friendly qualities, while helping to promote a
healthy lifestyle.
• Stops odors instantly so pet friendly families maintain a fresh smelling home.
• Clumps fast and firm for quick and easy litter box maintenance.
• Clay and chemical free so it’s safe for both pets and parents.
• Low dust for reduced allergy irritation and respiratory flare-ups.
The first chemical-free litter of its kind, Swheat
Scoop has remained a trusted brand for nearly two
decades thanks to its unmatched odor eliminating
qualities. Plus, new and improved Swheat Scoop
formulas clump firmer and faster, making clean-up a
breeze. And since Swheat Scoop absorbs moisture
faster than conventional brands, the rest of the litter
stays fresh and clean longer, saving pet
parents money.
But this litter isn’t simply good for people and pets, it’s also good for the environment. Unlike clay
litters that are mined and never decompose, Swheat Scoop is clay free, chemical free and made with
naturally processed wheat, a renewable, sustainable resource that is 100% biodegradable.
For more information about the “swheat life”, the brand’s recently improved Swheat Scoop Original
and Multi-Cat formulas, or their new Lightly Scented formula, visit www.SwheatScoop.com. Also
find them on your favorite social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram,
just search Swheat Scoop.
www.SwheatScoop.com | www.Facebook.com/SwheatScoop |www.Pinterest.com/SwheatScoop
www. Twitter.com/SwheatScoop | www.Instagram.com/SwheatScoop
ABOUT SWHEAT SCOOP ®
Swheat Scoop Natural Clumping Litter is a unique litter made from naturally processed wheat.
Through a patented process, its natural wheat enzymes work continuously to eliminate, rather than
mask litter box odors. This same process enables wheat starches to form firm clumps when exposed
to moisture, making cleanups easy. Plus, it’s clay free, chemical free and biodegradable. Because it is
clay free, Swheat Scoop is perfectly safe for kittens and is recommended by veterinarians. Swheat
Scoop is brought to you by Pet Care Systems of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. For more information, call
1-800-SWHEATS (794-3287) or visit www.SwheatScoop.com.
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Alexandre Tremblay - President of AiKiou will join Jon and Talkin' Pets Saturday at 6:30 PM EST to discuss and give away products from AiKiou
Aïkiou Dog Bowl Takes a New Approach in Solving Weight and Behavior Problems Associated with Domestic Pets
With pet obesity and weight problems on the rise, AÏkiou (IQ) Company takes in a new approach. With it's bowl already described as a new revolution in pet feeding by most of the behaviorists, Aïkiou is creating a new trend. These bowls called food activity centers not only reduce the chance of weight problems, it also helps cats and dogs to calm themselves by having a healthy food searching experience.
Distributions Aikiou Inc. of Mascouche, Canada is taking a new approach to pet obesity and behavior related problems by creating the future in pet food activity centers. These dog bowls are designed for fun and as a healthy alternative to their regular dog bowl.
“As we all know, dogs and cats have to find their food in nature, this activity is part of their natural behavior. With domestication, we improved the lives of those pets with our standards but forgot about their natural needs, food search being one of them.“ says creator Kathleen Desrosiers.
The goal of the company is to create a full line of products designed to help pets in houses control their behavior and weight. Using these products should contribute to lower the costs associated with having a pet. It is said that overweight dogs and cats are more at risk of developing problems such as diabetes, bone problems, heart disease, liver and digestive disorders.
The overweight animals will find in The Aïkiou a solution to their problem. By having to spend more time finding their food, they will learn to eat more slowly and will find satiety more quickly, what will contribute in helping them maintaining a healthy weight. This will also help reduce the costs associated with these disease in many households.
With these bowls intended for regular use that work like puzzle toys as recommended by pet behaviorists and the ASPCA. Pets will have to use their nose and brain to search for their food in order to prevent boredom and excess energy, two known reason for behavior problems in dogs. It will help them find the motivation that they would usually have in nature and help solve many anxiety problems that most of today’s dogs have to face.
About Distributions Aïkiou
Distributions Aïkiou is a Canadian company founded by Kathleen Desrosiers, co owner of the company. The goal of the company is to develop new products based on the interaction of the animals with their environment. Started in 2008, it released the first of a new generation of feeders with in mind the fact that animals need to use their mind as much as we do to have a life full of new experiences.
The Paw Project
In the United States today, approximately 25% of domesticated cats are declawed. While many are told that it is a procedure that benefits the cat's livelihood; pet-owners aren't always aware of the true physical damage that it brings to the animal. Most people do not know the current struggle aimed to protect our pets from this harm.
THE PAW PROJECT is a documentary that takes us inside the issue. Sharing testimony from industry professionals and pet-owners alike, THE PAW PROJECT examines the emotional and physical cost that a cat pays when declawed; and reveals the profit that the procedure generates for veterinary doctors across the nation. Despite the physical and behavioral harm inflicted on cats that are declawed, many veterinarians continue to recommend the procedure, which costs upwards of $1,200.00 per hour – even for very young kittens.
Veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Conrad wants it stop. While it often puts her at odds with many in her professional field, she continues to lead the struggle. Step by step, the film follows Conrad as she refutes representatives from the American Veterinary Association (AVMA), all in her effort to protect the well-being of these felines. THE PAW PROJECT chronicles her journey from pet examinations to legislative hearings, where she urges elected officials to ban declawing in their cities.
THE PAW PROJECT is a documentary written, directed and produced by Dr. Jennifer Conrad. It is her added effort to ensure that everyone is of the dangers of declawing. She hopes that THE PAW PROJECT will be used as a tool to change the nation.
VIEW TRAILER: http://vimeo.com/47145199
One of Jennifer Conrad's first success stories is in Los Angeles! This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the West Hollywood Anti-Declawing Ordinance. The City of West Hollywood will host a special screening event to celebrate the anniversary. Jennifer Conrad, Jackson Galaxy (MY CAT FROM HELL) and additional special guests are expected to attend.
This is an important film; where one woman is taking a stand, facing legislature and politics in order to protect those who do not have a voice.
Study Documents Dramatic New Impacts to Birds from Outdoor Cats
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(Washington, D.C., April 18, 2013) A new study from British scientists has documented for the first time, significant new impacts to birds from outdoor cats, reporting that even brief appearances of cats near avian nest sites leads to at least a doubling in lethal nest predation of eggs and young birds by third-party animals, as well as behavioral changes in parent birds that lead to an approximately 33 percent reduction in the amount of food brought to nestlings following a predation threat. The study was peer-reviewed and published in the Journal of Applied Ecology (January 30, 2013). The study was led by Karl Evans of the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield in collaboration with his PhD student Colin Bonnington and Kevin Gaston of the Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter.
The study was carried out by observing 47 blackbird nests in 2010 and 49 nests in 2011 in Sheffield, England, during the breeding season from March to August and compared nest dynamics following presentation of a taxidermist-prepared cat, a predatory grey squirrel, and a rabbit. The crucial finding is that the natural response of parenting birds to the appearance of predators – alarm calling and nest defense – dramatically affects rates of bird nest predation by third-party animals thusly alerted to the nest, as well as much lower feeding rates of young birds for prolonged periods following the threat of predation by cats.
The domestic cat model consistently prompted significantly higher alarm calling rates than either the rabbit or the squirrel. “Logistical models of nest fate demonstrated that the probability of nest predation within 24 hours of model exposure increased with the amount of parental nest defense,” the study said. Predation by third-party animals during chick incubation was highest following presentation of the cat model (23 percent of nests) followed by the grey squirrel (5 percent) and the rabbit (0 percent). At the young chick stage, predation was 13 percent for the cat model and zero for the other two models. At the old chick stage, there was no predation owing to the ability of the young birds to escape on their own.
Even more concerning is the fact that the study found no evidence that parental feeding rates returned to normal even after the cat model had been removed for lengthy periods of time such as even up to 90 minutes later. Further, there was no evidence that the parents at any time compensated for the reduced feeding rate, by bringing more food at a later time.
“Reduced food delivery, even over short time periods, can adversely influence chick condition and reproductive success and over longer time periods can promote smaller clutches,” the study said.
The study said that the behavioral changes in birds caused by the appearance of cats “….may have considerable implications for (bird) population and community dynamics” and suggests that “…the impacts of sub lethal effects on avian prey populations are frequently greater than those arising from lethal effects…..”
The study concludes that whilst cats housed indoors require more care and attention from their owners the most effective management option is thus to house cats permanently indoors. About half of cat owners in North America do this to prevent cats having road traffic accidents or being injured in fights with other cats.
“Here we have yet another peer-reviewed study that documents additional, serious impacts to bird populations that previously have not been fully appreciated. Feral and outdoor cats are simply devastating populations of birds and other wildlife,” said Clare Nielsen, Director of Communications for American Bird Conservancy, one of the leading bird conservation organizations in the U.S.
The new study follows the release in January, 2013, of a new, widely-reported, peer-reviewed study by scientists from two of the world’s leading science and wildlife organizations – the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) – which found that bird and mammal mortality caused by outdoor cats in the United States is much higher than has been widely reported, with annual bird mortality now estimated to be 1.4 to 3.7 billion and mammal mortality likely 6.9 – 20.7 billion individuals.
That study’s estimate of bird mortality far exceeds any previously estimated U.S. figure for cats. In fact, this magnitude of mortality may exceed all other direct sources of anthropogenic bird and mammal mortality combined. Other bird mortality sources include collisions with windows, buildings, communication towers, and vehicles, as well as pesticide poisoning.
The study estimated that the median number of birds killed by cats annually is 2.4 billion and the median number of mammals killed is 12.3 billion. About 69 percent of the bird mortality from cat predation and 89 percent of the mammal mortality was from un-owned, or feral, cats.
Free-ranging cats on islands have caused or contributed to 33 (14 percent) of the modern bird, mammal, and reptile extinctions recorded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. # American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to conserve native birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. ABC acts by safeguarding the rarest species, conserving and restoring habitats, and reducing threats, while building capacity in the bird conservation movement. |
Dogs get far more veterinary care than other pets in U.S.
Dogs are America’s favorite pet, not just in pet ownership, but in the health care they receive; the gap between dogs and other pets is growing
(SCHAUMBURG, Illinois) April 10, 2013—It’s good to be a dog. Not only are dogs America’s favorite pet, but dogs receive better veterinary care than their four-legged peers, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) 2012 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook.
The Sourcebook, a survey of Americans about their pets conducted every five years, indicates that between 2006 and 2011, veterinary visits for dogs increased by 9.2 percent, while the number of veterinary visits for cats decreased by 4.4 percent. Birds and horses also saw declines in veterinary care; the number of bird and horse owners who made at least one visit to the veterinarian in 2011 declined 10.8 percent and 12 percent, respectively.
“While it’s great that we’re seeing increases in veterinary care for dogs, it’s very concerning that veterinary care for virtually every other type of pet is seeing substantial declines,” says Dr. Douglas Aspros, president of the AVMA. “This trend is worrisome, not only in terms of the pet’s health but in terms of public health, because some diseases, such as intestinal parasites, can be transmitted from pets to family members. Our pets—no matter if they have fur, feathers, shells or scales—earn our love, respect
and appropriate veterinary care to keep them healthy and as comfortable as possible. A good guideline for all pet owners is to allow their pets to enjoy the very best life by taking them in for a veterinary visit at least once a year to help maintain optimal health.”
Cats second best?
There are more cats in America than dogs—74.1 million cats compared to 70 million dogs—but more people own dogs (43.3 million households) than own cats (36.1 million). The reason for this disparity is that cat owners are more likely to own more than one cat than dog owners are to own more than one dog.
Unfortunately, cats are suffering from an increasing lack of veterinary care. The number of cat-owning households that made no trips at all to the veterinarian in 2011 increased by a staggering 24 percent from 2006. Only 55.1 percent of cat owners made at least one visit to the veterinarian in 2011, which is down 13.5 percent from 2006.
“We see in the latest Sourcebook that there are 1.4 million fewer cat-owning households in America in 2011 compared to 2006, but even more concerning is the declining numbers for veterinary care that our cats receive,” explains Dr. Jane Brunt, executive director of the CATalyst Council, a national initiative comprised of animal health and welfare organizations working to improve the health and welfare of cats. “The AVMA survey shows us that, while we love our cats, we’re much less likely to take them into the veterinarian for regular care. Cats are wonderful, loving pets, but they are also masters at disguising any symptoms of illness. You need your veterinarian’s knowledge and skill to make sure your kitty is healthy.”
Furry Family Matters
The downturn in veterinary care for cats flies in the face of the fact that more cat owners (and pet owners in general) consider their pets to be family members. In 2006, 49.2 percent of cat owners said that they consider their pet to be a family member, which rose to 56.1 percent in 2011. The Sourcebook shows that the strength of the bond between pets and their owners impacts how much veterinary care the pet will receive. Cat owners who consider their cats members of the family went to the veterinarian 1.9 times on average in 2011, 1.2 times if they considered the cat a pet/companion, and just 0.5 times if they consider the animal to be property.
Dog owners were more likely to take their pets into the veterinarian than cat owners. Dog owners who said they consider the animal to be a family member went to the veterinarian, on average, 2.9 times in 2011, compared to 2 times for those who consider their dog a pet/companion and 1.2 times for those who consider their dog property.
AVMA’s U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook offers a wealth of information on pet ownership, pet owner profiles, trends, veterinary medical use and expenditures and is for sale on the AVMA website. For more information about the AVMA or to obtain a copy of the U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, visit www.avma.org.
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The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world, with more than 84,000 member veterinarians worldwide engaged in a wide variety of professional activities.
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