Publicising Cats for Adoption

King the NY cat who was kicked has been offered a new home
KING. Photo via 7online.com.

This is a short follow-up story to the one about the New York cat who was kicked by a 21-year-old youth in Brooklyn while someone else videoed it. You may remember the story. Andre Robinson was charged with animal cruelty. I suspect that his trial is due to take place in the not too distant future. The online newspapers report that the cat, whose name is King, has been adopted into a “wonderful home”.

The Senior Vice President of the ASPCA Adoption Centre, Gail Buchwald, says:

“We know some people may be disappointed they did not get a chance to take King home. However, we want to remind you all that this month is Adopt a Shelter Cat Month and there are many adoptable cats and kittens in need of homes in shelters across the country.”

You can see that she implies that there were a number of people, perhaps many potential adopters who made an application to adopt King. He deserves it and I’m extremely pleased he has found by a nice home and I bet it is a nice home because the ASPCA would have had a lot of people to choose from.

Wouldn’t it be nice if every rescue cat had the same options and recognition from the public? What can we take away from King’s story regarding shelter cat adoptions.

King is a beautiful grey and white cat. There have been millions of unwanted cats just like him at shelters who have ended up in the backroom being euthanised for no other reason than nobody wanted him/her. Nobody wanted him because he was not high profile enough. He wasn’t advertised or publicised enough based on King’s story. That is the brutal truth of it.

There are too many unwanted cats at shelters and not enough homes but the story of King indicates to me that people respond to celebrity and they respond to publicity surrounding a cat that needs a home. You can see that it is a rather shallow way to select a cat to adopt.

People are attracted to the idea of adopting a cat that has become a minor celebrity albeit for all the wrong reasons.

I realise that cat shelters cannot make every one of their cats a minor celebrity but I think it is worth asking the question whether some shelters could do a little bit more to heighten the profile of their cats by devising methods to publicise their cats more effectively.

It isn’t just about taking really good photographs of cats to be adopted, is also about writing first class descriptions. People respond to vulnerability. One of the attractive aspects of King’s background was that he had been abused. That is very sad but it is a reality. Many people, good people, respond very positively to nonhuman animals and humans who have had a difficult time and who need some tender loving care and nurturing to bring them back to full health.

I believe that this aspect of cat adoptions might be utilised a little bit more effectively.

Cat shelter management need to understand human psychology and how to sell products..and, No, shelter cats are positively not “products” but shelters should, where appropriate, use similar selling techniques that are utilised in the commercial sector. It may save the lives of more cats.

I realise there are funding issues. I guess it is about using available funds as effectively as possible.

10 thoughts on “Publicising Cats for Adoption”

  1. The author of the best comment will receive an Amazon gift of their choice at Christmas! Please comment as they can add to the article and pass on your valuable experience.
  2. Another interesting article that has given me food for thought with regards Jinxy. Its so sad though that bad things have to happen to a cat before it is given the best possible chance of finding a good home. Right after it was realised that Mr Jinks leg wasn’t healing as well as it should the vet said ‘I know it doesn’t sound very nice but a cat with 3 legs (especially B&W which aren’t very popular) will have a greater chance of finding a good home because people will feel sorry for him. I said I’m sorry but that’s sick. I’ve fought for him to keep his leg and I will also fight for a good home for him when its all over

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  3. All any shelter has to do is take each cat….deleted. Woody I have given you your say on your page but here it is out of bounds (Admin)

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        • He tries to ruin perfectly good articles, he seems to lurk there waiting to pounce. I can’t understand his mentality, I should ignore him I suppose and just leave him to you to dispose of his rants.

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          • His mentality is beyond any rational person’s understanding, R.
            He’s not worth reading.
            I wish he had his own page “Woody’s Rants” so all of his comments could be thrown there and he could just rant to himself. LOL!

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  4. Yes it’s a shame that so many people want to adopt a ‘famous’ cat when there are hundreds more needing homes too.
    Publicising them is a good idea, that way the idea might reach people who wouldn’t give a thought to adopting a pet otherwise.

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  5. Publicising cats and dogs has been my new mission. I now have an article on each cat and dog at the high kill shelter in Greenville. I’ve also taken on the off the beaten path shelter in Liberty. I took the Liberty shelter because its the home of my ancestors-literally. More than a century ago my Taylor line owned the land on Five Forks Road the shelter sits on. My spirit guide told me to help them. I’m honest in the articles as to the type home a pet needs. The Pinterest boards are being shared and so are the articles. http://www.pinterest.com/furbyshouse/

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