Home > Out of the Cage! > Summer 2008 > Adopt-A-Cat Coming to Madison Square Garden October 18–19

Adopt-A-Cat Coming to Madison Square Garden October 18–19

We're fast approaching the largest annual cat adoption event in the Big Apple — the Mayor's Alliance Adopt-A-Cat, held in conjunction with the Iams/CFA Cat Championship at Madison Square Garden. If you're thinking about adding a new feline family member, this two-day event is where you'll want to be!

Now in it's fifth year, Adopt-A-Cat has become the largest and most heavily attended adoption event in New York City. Hundreds of cats and kittens, representing two-dozen rescue groups and shelters, including NYC's Animal Care & Control, will be there to meet you and steal your heart.

To get the word out to more people than ever this year, we partnered with the ASPCA and Cat Fanciers' Association to purchase advertising on the sides of five Grayline NY Tour buses. The dramatic ads will grab the public's attention as the buses wind their way through the streets from downtown to midtown, beckoning to potential adopters and Cat Championship attendees.

Again this year, the cat show's agility competition will be open to cats from the general public (pre-registration is recommended) as well as the cats available for adoption.

Some of the rescue organizations that will be showing their cats at Adopt-A-Cat will be using a match-making program developed by the ASPCA called Feline-ality^TM, a part of its Meet Your Match^TM adoption program that matches adopter preferences with an animal's behavior. Instead of filling out a traditional adoption application, potential adopters are asked to fill out a one-page Cat Adopter Survey — 19 questions about their lifestyle and how they envision their cat fitting into that lifestyle. The results tell the adoption organization what an adopter's "color" is — green, orange, or purple. This allows them to recommend cats and kittens who have been assessed as having a corresponding "color" personality. In case you're wondering what each color indicates:

Green adopters are most successful with cats who quickly adapt to new situations.

Purple adopters are perfect for kitties who need time and encouragement to adjust to their new surroundings.

Orange adopters are a good fit with the quintessential companion kitty.

Of course, adopters aren't required to choose a cat with a particular Feline-ality (color) — but the assessment can prepare them for their new kitty's response to his or her new home, and help ease the adjustment for both adopter and cat. Incidentally, shelters that use Feline-ality to facilitate adoptions have reported a 40- to 45-percent increase in adoptions and a 45- to 50-percent decrease in returns and euthanasia.

Mark your calendar, and tell all your friends and family to save the weekend of October 18–19 for Adopt-A-Cat. Adoption hours are 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

We hope to see you there!