By numbers alone, Americans have a love affair with cats. According to the newly published American Veterinary Medical Association U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, they outnumber dogs: 82 million cats vs. 71 million dogs.
Additional stats:
• According to an AVMA survey, cats don’t visit veterinarians as often as dogs. The average dog sees a vet 1.5 times a year. Cats average less than once a year. And that’s especially bad news for cats because they can hide illness or pain, so millions don’t see a vet until they’re profoundly ill.
• Cats are abandoned or given up for adoption more often than dogs, too. In a several-year study conducted in the 1990s, the National Council on Pet Population Study & Policy looked at animals given up to shelters. Of the cases in which a species was identified, 27% were dogs and 35% were cats.
• Of the lost or stolen animals entering U.S. shelters, 15% to 30% of dogs are reclaimed by owners, according to the Humane Society of the United States. However, a meager 5% of cats are reclaimed.
Even though my Prince Charming has moved on, I still recall the songs he sang as we traveled to visit his veterinarian. He would always find a place to hide from the vet and his techs. Prince Charming seemed to know that his body fit perfectly behind the computer monitor in the vet’s medical room. Like most felines, he didn’t care for vehicle rides while his older canine brothers are always eager to travel around town.
Take time this month to schedule an appointment for your feline with your local vet or with Animal Trustees of Austin or with the Cat Hospital of Austin.
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