Did you know that cats can hide signs of illness even when something serious is wrong? Debra welcomes Gina Fortunato, Executive Director of Catalyst Council, to discuss the research, education, and insights helping improve feline health and veterinary care. Drawing on data from Catalyst Council's State of the Cat research, Gina explains why routine wellness visits matter, what keeps cat owners from visiting the veterinarian, and how better communication can encourage more proactive care. From dental disease and heart health to reducing carrier anxiety and finding cat-friendly veterinary practices, this conversation offers valuable information to help cat owners give their feline companions longer, healthier lives. In this episode, I sit down with Gina Fortunato, Director of Catalyst Council, to ask the question at the heart of this show. Why do pets matter? We open where so many of these conversations begin, with the comfort animals bring us. Gina and I talk about pets as a source of emotional support, including the quiet, moving story of a cat honoring a deceased horse, and the surprising, sometimes profound ways animals help us heal. From there, Gina introduces Catalyst Council, the nonprofit she helps lead. It is an organization advancing feline health through data-driven insight, built on a decade of advocacy and research. She walks me through their State of the Cat report, drawn from large national household surveys, and what that data reveals about the cats living among us. And the data tells a remarkable story. Cat ownership has grown from one in four homes to one in three, and that rise is bringing more cats into veterinary care. Gina shares a stat I keep coming back to, that 82% of cat owners consider themselves cat people. We are devoted. So why does feline care still lag behind? That question leads us into what Gina calls the medicalization gap. We talk about how 62% of cats are acquired informally, often arriving in homes without ever seeing a veterinarian, and why that first visit matters so much for a cat's long, healthy life. Gina is honest about the barriers, too. Cost, the stress of the carrier, and the anxiety of the visit itself all keep cats away from care they need. We dig into trust, and into the work still ahead. An impressive 92% of cat owners trust their veterinarian, yet many veterinarians admit they feel uncomfortable treating cats. Gina explains how owners, especially Gen Z and millennials, are seeking out feline-only practices and stress-reduction measures, and how tools like monitored chat boxes can help clinics meet owners where they are. Our conversation widens to community cats. Gina shares how TNR and community education improve outcomes for pets and feral cats alike. She reminds us that cats, indoor and outdoor, are built to hide pain, which makes annual exams essential for catching what we cannot see, from dental disease to other quiet conditions. Before we close, Gina offers practical takeaways for veterinary teams and owners. Clinics should ask about every pet in the household, not just the one in the room. And owners deserve to hear, plainly, that annual visits help cats live longer. We end with Gina's gratitude for ten years of Catalyst Council's work, and where listeners can go to learn more and stay engaged.
