Blog
Cats Are Still Struggling for Equality
October 12, 2012
As you all know, cats are our world; they are all we do at Cats Exclusive. I like dogs, but cats somehow just draw me in. As an only child, they were my brothers and sisters.
It's hard to explain to some, but those of you with similar feelings understand the lure and magic of the cat. I appreciate them for their unique personalities and understand their unique needs. Fortunately, the veterinary community is beginning to understand their 'uniqueness' as well. There is a movement to try to make dog/cat veterinary hospitals more "cat friendly" by reducing their exposure to the sights, smells, and sounds of dogs and through better education of veterinary staff about the different approaches for the cat vs. the dog. It is nice to see this awareness finally evolving in our profession.
Interesting data was recently released, however, by the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) that stated, "dogs are still the most popular pet in America, as 36.5% of all households in the U.S. have a dog, compared to 30.4% that have cats. But cats are still the most common pet, with the total U.S. population hovering right around 74.1 million, compared to 70 million dogs.”
Now for the disturbing part: "Of the two most popular pets in America, dog owners were revealed to be more dedicated to providing their beloved pets with appropriate veterinary care. In fact ... total veterinary visits for dogs in 2011 increased 9.2% from 2006...and veterinary visits for cats were down 4.4% from 2006 to 2011". I find it sad that, in some households, cats aren't provided the same level of care given to dogs.
At Cats Exclusive, we are very grateful to have a clientele that is so dedicated to caring for their cats!
