Appearances Can Be Deceiving

New Program Matches Cats To Lifestyles

Jennifer Reynolds, shelter attendant, takes one of the cats from its kennel Feb. 7 for socialization time at the Fayetteville Animal Shelter. The shelter created a Meet Your Match program for shelter cats. Feline-ality, a researchbased assessment of a cat’s behavior and interests that matches adopter preferences with an animal’s behavior.
Jennifer Reynolds, shelter attendant, takes one of the cats from its kennel Feb. 7 for socialization time at the Fayetteville Animal Shelter. The shelter created a Meet Your Match program for shelter cats. Feline-ality, a researchbased assessment of a cat’s behavior and interests that matches adopter preferences with an animal’s behavior.

— A new program at the Animal Shelter encourages visitors to consider more than appearance when adopting a pet.

Superintendent Justine Middleton Lentz said shelter staff members are learning the Meet Your Match program, developed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The program uses Feline-ality, a research-based assessment that matches a cat’s behavior with adopter preferences.

At A Glance

Feline-ality

Feline-ality is a research-based assessment that uses a color-coding system to match a cat’s behavior with adopter preferences.

-Green: successful with cats who quickly adapt to new situations.

-Purple: perfect for kitties who need time and encouragement to adjust to their new surroundings.

-Orange: a good fit with the quintessential companion kitty.

Source: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

“We used to just do a temperament test to make sure the cat could be safely handled,” Lentz said. “Now we use a personality typing system because we want to make sure people are getting matched with the best pet for their lifestyle.”

Lentz said the assessment begins as soon as a cat is brought to the shelter.

Each cat is assessed based on playing, exploring, “talking,” and being the center of attention and placed into a Feline-ality color.

Green cats are savvy and adventurous, orange cats make the perfect companions and purple cats are quiet, seek affection and stay out of trouble. The color is indicated on the cat’s kennel card, along with a short description.

People wanting to adopt must complete a one-page survey of 19 questions about lifestyle. The results determine whether a person is green, orange or purple. Adopters are matched with cats of the same color.

“You don’t have to adopt a cat in your color category, but it helps people look past appearance,” Lentz said.

Emily Weiss, vice president of shelter research and development for the society, developed Meet Your Match in 2006.

She said the program can increase adoptions by 30 to 60 percent and decreases returns and euthanasia by 40 to 45 percent.

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An adoptable cat reaches from inside its kennel at the Fayetteville Animal Shelter.

“Of course it ranges from organization to organization, but it can be very impactful,” she said. “One of the most exciting and surprising things we found is just how good of a job we do at determining what the cat’s Feline-ality would be in the home. Because these are cats in a shelter facility, we didn’t know how well we would do.”

Weiss said Meet Your Match was originally created for dogs using Canine-ality. The shelter eventually will add the dog program, Lentz said.

Weiss said she created Meet Your Match to improve the likelihood that adopter and cat would bond.

“A lot of times people look at all the cats and don’t know which one to choose,” she said. “Some people see a cat and fall in love immediately. People who experience love at first sight will know what to expect even if their color doesn’t match that cat. As long as people know what to expect, that bond will continue to grow.”

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