On the heels, or should we say paws, of the successful implementation of the ASPCA Meet Your Match Canine-ality program at Larimer Humane Society, the shelter has also recently implemented Feline-ality, the latest addition to the ASPCA’s Meet Your Match adoption programs that include research-based animal behavior assessments—all aimed at increasing adoption rates, and reducing return rates at shelters.

How Was It Created?
To create Feline-ality, the ASPCA conducted 2 years of research. The first two phases of research focused on prediction of cat behavior. The third and final phase was beta testing the entire matching process. Five shelters beta tested the program: Animal Refuge League, Portland, Maine; Kansas Humane Society, Wichita, Kan.; Humane Society of Boulder Valley, Boulder, Colo.; Animal Welfare Association, Voorhees, N.J.; and the Hamilton-Burlington SPCA, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Adopters do choose animals outside their recommended color range but with the Meet Your Match tools they go home with the right expectations to make a good match regardless.
 
How Does It Work?
Like Canine-ality does for dogs, Feline-ality identifies distinct “feline-alities” for cats, and matches them with potential adopters whose personality and lifestyle fit them best. Meet Your Match Feline-ality uses research-based surveys and behavior assessments, both for cats and potential adopters, to make the best matches possible between the two. The cat assessment reliably predicts, based on its “feline-ality,” how an individual cat is likely to behave in its new home. An adopter’s survey identifies the adopter’s personal preferences and lifestyle that correlate with specific feline-alities. Adopters can then look for the cats with feline-alities that would be a good fit for their household and identify them by colors and feline-ality descriptions.

For example, a cat with a green color-coded description would be a “Party Animal”, “MVP” or “Leader of the Band.” Green cats are savvy, unflappable and adventurous. A cat with an orange classification makes a great companion cat, and would be called a “Sidekick,” “Executive” or “Personal Assistant.” A cat with a purple classification is one that seeks affection, is quiet and stays out of trouble. It could be called a “Secret Admirer,” “Love Bug” or “Private Investigator.”

Are You Ready to Adopt?
When clients visit the cat adoption room at Larimer Humane Society they are able to read the colorful Feline-ality descriptions for each cat and then visit with those that might be their match. In addition, some of the adoptable cats are also photographed with a colored bandana, matching their personality, for the website which can assist potential adopters before they visit the shelter.

View adoptable cats and kittens looking for their loving new homes!