Morris the Cat Comes Back!

The Associated Press
San Francisco, CA, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- San Francisco's Del Monte Foods is bringing Morris the Cat back from retirement for the second time in five years.
The somewhat retro advertising initiative follows Del Monte's acquisition of Heinz' pet food and Star-Kist division two years ago, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Wednesday.
Morris, for those under a certain age, is a hyper-finicky feline that only eats Heinz cat food.
"It helps for consumers to connect with the brand," a Del Monte spokeswoman said of the mascot.
In 2000 Heinz introduced Morris IV, the fourth feline to play the role, and put him in TV spots a year later. But sales of Heinz pet products, which also included Kibbles 'n Bits and Nawsomes, had been dragging so long company officials decided to sell the division months later to Del Monte.
Besides Morris and Star-Kist's Charlie the Tuna, the purchase also got Del Monte such mascots as Jack the Pounce Cat, Ziggy of Pup-peroni and Snocrates the Snausages Dog.

Cat Hitches 400 Mile Ride
SEDALIA, Mo. - A cat was hungry and dirty but otherwise OK after hitching a 400-mile ride from Indianapolis to Sedalia on an 8-inch beam underneath a tractor-trailer.
The male Siamese cat was discovered Sunday after Chris Markley, a truck driver from Springdale, Ark., noticed a woman trying to flag him down. He pulled his rig into a parking lot and the woman pointed out a cat sitting on the fifth wheel frame under the trailer of his truck.
Markley told police the last time he had stopped before reaching Sedalia was at a truck stop off Interstate 65 south of Indianapolis.
Marilyn Bogard, animal control officer for the Sedalia Police Department, took the cat to the animal shelter Monday afternoon. The cat was only a little worse for wear with a case of the sniffles and a coating of grease.
"Poor baby. He's a sweetheart," said Bogard as the cat rubbed its head on her cheek, leaving a smear of grease. "He's well fed. He's just hungry because you ride from Indianapolis to here, and you'd be hungry too."
Nothing was holding the cat onto the 8-inch beam or protecting if from falling to the asphalt, according to a police report. The neutered cat is estimated to be six or seven years old.
"We've had them before get into the back of trucks, but to ride on something that narrow for that long a distance, that's pretty unusual," Bogard said.
Animal control officers in Indiana will help with the search for the cat's owners. If they don't come forward, the cat will be put up for adoption.
"We'll find him a good home, at least that's what we hope for," Bogard said. "We always like a good happy ending."

Girl Fights Python, Saves Kitten
External Story Link
A SIX-year-old girl became the first female to receive the RSPCA's humane award for saving her kitten from a predatory python.
Marlie Coleman did not think twice about taking on the scrub python when it wrapped its jaws around her kitten Sooty in their Cairns backyard earlier this year. The sharp-toothed python let go of the kitten, but attached itself to Marlie's lip, hanging on until her mother heard the screams and shook it off.
Her mother, Shakira, remembers seeing Marlie standing on the barbecue with a snake attached to her face, bleeding and sobbing "Snake trying to eat Sooty".
RSPCA Queensland chief executive officer Mark Townend said Marlie's only concern on her way to hospital after the attack was for the kitten.
"The RSPCA does not want to see children place themselves in danger," Mr Townend said. "However, this little girl, who was only five at the time, showed exceptional bravery. "Marlie performed a selfless and courageous act on behalf of her kitten friend and she has captured the spirit of animal welfare."
Marlie still bears the scars of her ordeal, while Sooty recovered from minor injuries and the non-venomous python slipped away, never to be seen again.
Marlie was presented with the award at her school today, becoming the first female, youngest person and first Queenslander to receive it.
The RSPCA Australia Humane Award recognises people who have shown courage and risked their personal safety to rescue an animal.
Five men have won the award since 1990 for feats ranging from dragging a dog from a burning house to being hit by a car while rescuing a koala. Scrub pythons grow to three metres in Cairns and are known to defend themselves by biting with their long, sharp teeth, said Michael O'Brien, wildlife curator at Wild World - The Tropical Zoo. They prey upon warm-blooded animals such as chickens, small dogs and cats.

Don't Get Rid of That Cat Yet, Say Asthma Researchers
NIH Press Release
Parents who worry that their household cat might trigger asthma in their children shouldn't be too quick to get rid of the pet, according to a study that appears in the March 10 issue of The Lancet. The study shows that high levels of cat allergen in the home decrease the risk of asthma, apparently by altering the immune response to cats.
The study, funded in part by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), begins to uncover the immune system processes behind this phenomenon. This work was also supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
For many allergens, such as the house dust mite, the higher the level of exposure, the higher the likelihood of a person producing "allergic" antibodies (called immunglobulin E or IgE antibodies). High allergen levels also increase a person's risk of becoming allergic and developing asthma.
Thomas A. Platts-Mills, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Virginia's Asthma and Allergic Diseases Center have shown that cat exposure is different. The researchers measured the levels of antibodies to cat allergen in 226 children, aged 12 to 14 years, and tested the children for asthma. They also measured the amount of cat allergens in the children's homes and discovered that low-to-moderate amounts of cat allergen seemed to trigger allergy, but high amounts reduced both IgE antibodies and the likelihood of asthma.
"This result alters the advice we give patients," says Dr. Platts-Mills. "I would not recommend that parents get rid of their cat because they are concerned their child might develop asthma. However, high exposure to cat allergen appears to be protective for some children and a risk factor for others. If the child is wheezing and has a positive skin test to cat allergen, then you should get rid of your cat."
The high levels of cat allergen prompted the children's immune systems to predominantly make immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgG4 antibodies rather than IgE, explains Marshall Plaut, M.D., chief of the allergic mechanisms section at NIAID. "This research sheds more light on the relationship between allergen exposure and asthma. When investigators further understand this process, it might lead to new treatments for asthma."

Pet Cat Shoots Teenager
Associated Press - A teenage boy has been wounded in the US after his pet cat jumped on an air rifle which then fired a shot at him.
Josiah Boughman, 15, of Canton, Ohio, was grazed just below his ribs by the pellet.
His mother, Mary Boughman, told police her son had been shooting rats in a barn near the family home.
As he returned to the house, he put the air rifle on a picnic table and one of the family's pet cats jumped on the table and touched the gun.
Staff at the hospital where the boy was treated said the boy's wound was not serious.

Bush's Six-Toed Cat Found on LA's Avenue of Stars
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ernie the six-toed cat was nabbed after three weeks on the lam early on Tuesday when a night watchman found President Bush's former feline tom-catting around on the Avenue of the Stars in Los Angeles at 2 a.m. More than three weeks after he ran away from home, Ernie was reunited with his adopted family, longtime Bush friend and Republican fund-raiser Brad Freeman.
The cat leaped to fame during the presidential campaign when Bush told the story of how he adopted the stray after his dog Spot chased the cat into the tree at the Texas governor's mansion.
Deemed too wild for life at the White House, the former first cat of Texas was given to Freeman before the Bushes moved to Washington in January.
The twice-adopted cat appeared to be settling in to his new life in Brentwood, California, but then he disappeared.
The announcement that Ernie had been found was made by the office of first lady Laura Bush. It was left unclear as to whether Ernie actually wanted to be found.
``Ernie was found early this morning strolling along Avenue of the Stars in Century City. Ernie appears to be in good shape, and is back with Freeman,'' the first lady's office said.
The first lady's spokeswoman, Noelia Rodriguez, said the cat was found about two or three miles from his new home. He had lost his protective claw coverings -- which are designed to prevent him from scratching up furniture -- but otherwise he seemed fine.
Freeman said a security guard found the cat at about 2 a.m. in the pricey district of Century City along the Avenue of the Stars.
``He'd seen it on TV or something, called a TV station and they called me,'' said Freeman. ``Of course this was all at 5 o'clock in the morning.''
Freeman said he paid the guard a $1,000 reward for finding the cat.

Copyright © 1996-2001 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

Revealed: how purrs are secret to cats' nine lives
By David Harrison, Environment Correspondent, http://www.telegraph.co.uk
SCIENTISTS have discovered that the purring of cats is a "natural healing mechanism" that has helped inspire the myth that they have nine lives.
None lives: wounded cats purr because it helps their bones and organs to heal Wounded cats - wild and domestic - purr because it helps their bones and organs to heal and grow stronger, say researchers who have analysed the purring of different feline species. This, they say, explains why cats survive falls from high buildings and why they are said to have "nine lives". Exposure to similar sound frequencies is known to improve bone density in humans.
The scientists, from the Fauna Communications Research Institute in North Carolina, found that between 27 and 44 hertz (a measure of the number of cycles per second) was the dominant frequency for a house cat, and 20-50Hz for the puma, ocelot, serval, cheetah and caracal. This reinforces studies confirming that exposure to frequencies of 20-50Hz strengthens human bones and helps them to grow.
Dr Elizabeth von Muggenthaler, the president of the institute, said: "Old wives' tales usually have a grain of truth behind them and cats do heal very quickly. The healing power of purring seems to explain their 'nine lives'." The scientists say that sound waves created at a particular frequency trigger the healing process in feline bones. Purring is believed to have a similar effect to ultrasound treatment on humans. Dr von Muggenthaler said: "We are starting to solve a 3,000-year-old mystery as to why cats purr. e next phase will be to explain the mechanics of the process."
Almost all cats purr, including lions and cheetahs, though not tigers. Dr von Muggenthaler said that purring had to be advantageous to a cat to survive natural selection, but there seemed to be no obvious advantage for a cat merely to display contentment. A natural capacity for increasing bone growth and strength and reducing healing time was, however, "clearly advantageous".
Cats' ability to survive and recover quickly after falling from tall buildings is well documented. One recent study, published in The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, found that out of 132 cats that fell an average of 5.5 storeys, 90 per cent survived, including one that fell 45 storeys.
Other scientific teams are researching whether "sound treatment" could be used to halt osteoporosis and even renew bone growth in post-menopausal women. Dr David Purdie, from Hull University's centre for metabolic bone disease, said that the human skeleton needs stimulation or it begins to leak calcium and weaken. "Purring could be the cat's way of providing that stimulation for its own bones."
He said that it was difficult to devise physical exercises for old people suffering from osteoporosis and speculated that it might be possible to create a mechanism to use cats' purring to help strengthen elderly bones.

Purr-fidious act horrifies cat-loving cast of Cats
Johanna Kowal, Journal Staff Writer
The Edmonton Journal
After spending the past two years purr-forming in Cats, it was natural for Chris and Shanna Sell to come to the rescue of a little white kitty cast out of a passing van. "What else could we do? The poor thing came into the parking garage and was crying," Shanna said. "I called it and it came to me. We had to find it a home."
The husband and wife are understudies in the touring production of Cats, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that opened Tuesday. When they arrived in Edmonton Monday afternoon, they saw a middle-aged man boot a cat out of his van in the alley behind their hotel. Chris called the SPCA and other agencies looking for someone to adopt it. Their search was fruitless until they reached Marjorie Hamilton at the Hervey Foundation for Cats. Hamilton houses up to 60 cats at her customized acreage near St. Albert, saving many from being killed at the SPCA when no one will adopt them. She usually takes only sick and injured cats because they are the first to be put down. "I don't know too many people who would give their hearts and their homes to that many cats," Shanna said. "Even though we'd have loved to keep her for ourselves, we knew she would be loved at Marjorie's."
If the Sells had kept her, they would have named her Victoria, after the white Cat that Shanna sometimes plays in the musical. But they already have a black cat that tours with them, and didn't think the kitty they found would adapt well to life on the road. This is an exception," Hamilton said. "These people really wanted to help this cat out and they truly couldn't care for it themselves." On Sunday, representatives from the Hervey Foundation will be at the Jubilee Auditorium to tell people about their work and the need for people to be more responsible with their cats.

Copyright © 1999 The Edmonton Journal

The Cat Who Defeated a Cat Burglar
by Karen Commings
A Pets: Part of the Family contribution
Karen R. was living in a first-floor apartment in a San Francisco suburb when she adopted JB from a shelter. "JB was everything I didn't want in a cat," jokes Karen, who went to the shelter looking for a female kitten. Instead, she found JB, a big orange and white tabby. "He kept sticking his paws through the cage bars," says Karen. Being face-to-foot with JB enabled Karen to notice that his paws were rough and badly cut from living in the wild. Karen and JB fell for each other immediately, and she decided to forgo a female companion kitten in favor of this 1-year-old male cat.
If you believe things happen for a reason, the reason Karen chose JB became evident within one week of bringing him home. About 2:30 one morning, Karen became aware of JB scratching her neck with his claws. She drifted off to sleep again, only to be awakened again by JB pressing his claws deeper into her neck. She sat up and heard the screen being removed from her bedroom window. At first, Karen thought it was her imagination from having read too many horror novels.
"At that moment, I realized it wasn't a book but something that was really happening," Karen recalls. She immediately rolled off her bed, scooped up JB, and called 911. Within two or three minutes the police came. The sound of sirens scared off the intruders just in time.
JB was treated royally for his heroism. Six years later, JB has never again scratched her in the middle of the night. "It wasn't just a fluke," says Karen. "Though I had him for only a week, he sensed danger and saved us!"

To Fly or Not to Fly with Pets
The Associated Press
Washington, Nov. 2 — Dogs, cats and other pets that fly in airplane cargo areas deserve stronger protections against rough handling, temperature extremes and oxygen depletion, some lawmakers and animal advocates say. The airline industry says proposed new protections are unnecessary and burdensome. Michael Wascom, director of government affairs for the Air Transport Association, predicted that some airlines would "simply stop accepting live animals" rather than increase training of baggage handlers, adjust climate control on airplanes and face greater legal liability in case something goes wrong. Backers of legislation to strengthen protection for animals on airliners cite pet horror stories like that of Gordon and Barbara Anzalone of St. Louis. Their boxer, Enzo, died while traveling in the cargo hold of a TWA flight to Florida. A pathology report said heat stress was the likely cause of death, exacerbated by the dog’s advanced age and mild obesity. TWA offered the couple $1,250 — the amount of liability that airlines are required to pay for lost or damaged baggage. The couple has sued. "Some of these cases are awful, in terms of the torture they put the animals through," said Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J.

Stiffer Penalties
Lautenberg sponsored legislation that requires airlines to train their baggage handlers; doubles to $5,000 the maximum penalty the federal government can impose on an airline; increases the amount of money a pet owner can recover if an animal is lost, injured or killed, and requires that airlines compile and release information on animals hurt or killed. The legislation also requires airlines to improve air flow and climate control in sections of airplanes where animals are kept. The Senate approved the proposals as an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. But a companion bill proposed by Rep. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., failed in the House, leaving the issue in the hands of a House-Senate conference committee. One member of the conference committee, Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash., has proposed an alternative, a study of the issue by the General Accounting Office, Congress’ investigative arm. The Humane Society of the United States supports stronger protections for animals, contending the airline industry "treats live animals as mere baggage, transporting them in cargo holds not designed for life support."

Pet Advocates Fear Backlash
But the American Kennel Club, citing "too many unanswered questions," is urging defeat of the Lautenberg bill until congressional hearings are held on it. The club, which has worked with federal agencies to make air travel safer for dogs, fears airlines would respond to Lautenberg’s measures by refusing to carry animals. The Air Transport Association has reported that "more than 99 percent of the estimated 500,000 dogs and cats that airlines handle each year reach their destination" without incident.
Copyright 1999 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

How the Tiger Got Its Stripes
By David George Gordon Special to ABCNEWS.com
Lars Werdelin sees spots before his eyes. He also sees rosettes, stripes, blotches and other patterns on the coats of wild cats. The young paleontologist with the Swedish Museum of Natural History can see the true relationship between coat pattern and evolution of the various great cat lineages — unlike many others in his field. Prior to Werdelin, scientists assumed that the shared ancestor of modern lions, tigers, leopards and other large cats wore a coat with large blotches of solid color. They theorized that over thousands of years these blotches slowly broke down — first developing lighter centers (for instance, leopard spots) and later disintegrating further to form stripes (the tiger’s coat) and small flecks (the cheetah’s fancy fur wrap). Working closely with animal systematics expert Lennart Olsson of Uppsala University, Werdelin examined pelts from lions, tigers and leopards. He compared their markings with those of pelts from less familiar felines — caracal, margay, Iberian lynx and 30 other cats. Then they created a series of maps, assessing the similarities in coat patterns and the degrees of evolutionary closeness, where known, in members of the cat family tree.
The maps revealed how often each type of pattern gave rise to the rest. In most instances, large spots, rosettes, blotches and stripes were preceded by one pattern: small flecks. With this information, Werdelin and Olsson assembled their explanation for the emergence of patterns on cat coats. It all started with small flecks, they write in "How the Leopard Got Its Spots: A Phylogenetic View of Feline Coat Patterns," a paper published by the Linnean Society of America. The flecks became larger, forming blotches, stripes and other patterns as the cats evolved and their coats became better camouflaged, blending with sunlight and shadow. While preparing their argument, Werdelin and Olsson encountered a potential stumbling block — the general disagreement among scientist over the structure of the cat family tree. As it turned out, such a conflict among cat specialists only strengthened their case. "In this instance, the uncertainty regarding the phylogeny of the group has actually rendered the hypothesis stronger, as it holds true under a relatively wide range of conditions," the pair note. There’s nothing spotty about logic like that.
Copyright ©1999 ABC News Internet Ventures
All rights reserved.

Cat & Mouse Make Nice
PICHIT, Thailand (CNN) -- This is the story of a cat named Huan who used to chase and kill mice just like any other feline. But that changed five months ago when Huan found a baby mouse in a closet, and thought it was...well, the cat's meow. Huan's owner, Charanai Nanoontum, says Huan, which means "fat," and the mouse, which she's named Jerry, carry on like mother and son. Is it a case of opposites attracting? Or just a couple of confused critters? One things's for sure: Huan and Jerry would never be mistaken for the cartoon characters Tom and Jerry.
"When Huan found Jerry, I thought she would eat the mouse as usual, but she didn't...love took over," Charanai says. "The cat protects the mouse from other cats and dogs." Jerry returns Huan's care by periodically cleaning her paws. The two like to play together, sleep together, and can often be seen lapping milk from the same bowl. Charanai says her other cats seem baffled by the pair's relationship. They probably think Huan and Jerry should behave more like...well, like cat and mouse.
Copyright 1999, CNN. All Rights Reserved.

Tourists Flock to
Burma's Jumping Cats
By Patrick McDowell,The Associated Press
INLAY LAKE, Burma Few places exude a greater air of otherworldly abandonment than the 155-year-old Phe Chaung monastery on the shores of this isolated lake.That was before the world discovered the jumping cats. The half-dozen Buddhist monks here used to train the monastery's resident cats to jump through hoops as a way of dealing with boredom. Now, they have little time for tranquil meditation as thousands of cat lovers from around the world come to see the trick.
"French, Germans, Italians, Japanese" recites Kai Ti, the abbot. "For them, it is something you don't see every day. Some of them have done videos that made the jumping cats famous." A teak beam in the sanctuary is covered with tour company stickers, evidence of attempts by the cash-strapped military regime ruling Burma, also known as Myanmar, to end decades of isolation and woo tourist dollars. But not just foreigners come. On a recent day, a squad of armed soldiers came to check security for the regional battalion commander, who was to visit later in the afternoon.

Feline Welcoming Committee
Cpl. Htay Hlaing was amazed by the leaping felines and, after several tries and a little help from a monk, got one to jump through a hoop. "I love cats and have many cats at home, but I've never seen anything like this" Htay Hlaing said. Pulling up to the monastery dock on Inlay Lake, a water world in northeastern Burma where fisherman and farmers virtually live in their teak canoes, newcomers know they've got the right place. A fine-boned, calico cat sits regally on the steps as a sort of welcoming committee. A couple of kittens sharpen their claws on the railing. Inside, two dozen felines scamper between Buddha images or wait impatiently for Kai Ti and his young acolytes to fill scattered feeding bowls. One French guide always makes sure to bring flea powder and Friskies food to supplement the cats's normal diet usually, whatever is left from the begging bowls and an occasional lake fish. "I've liked cats since I was young" Kai Ti says. "I can't really say why I like cats so much, but I hate dogs."

Celebrity Names
Kai Ti, 64, has been at the monastery for 40 years. Many years ago, three or four cats appeared and he began caring for them, feeding them with leftovers from his morning begging rounds. One day, he was bored and began experimenting to see if he could get them to jump through a hoop. The abbot motions a young acolyte to demonstrate. Getting a kitten to stand still, he lifts it up and down gently under the chin and stomach three times, then makes his arms into a circle a few inches off the floor. The kitten jumps over and is rewarded with a bit of fish. Then the monk takes an adult cat and holds an eight-inch hoop about three feet off the floor. The cat easily hops through. "All the cats, who are descended from the original group, can jump" Kai Ti said. Caught up in the celebrity, the monks have started giving the cats names: Leonardo DiCaprio, Madonna, Demi Moore, Marilyn Monroe, Diana. The temple contains true treasures, lacquerware Buddhas covered in gold leaf, for example, that are rare antiques. Visitors usually leave donations, but the generosity rarely seems spiritually motivated. "Nobody comes to look at the Buddhas" Kai Ti grumbles. "Nobody ever asks about Buddhism. They just want to see the cats."
Copyright 1999 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Cat Survives Montana
Fire, Returns to CA Home
BOZEMAN, Mont. - In August, Nucat the tabby cat and his owners, Bill and Charly McInroy, were traveling by RV through Montana when the vehicle caught fire. The McInroys escaped the blaze and rescued their dog, but Nucat was nowhere to be found. They notified local officials, who placed a notice in the local paper. Three weeks after the fire, the McInroys received the call they were almost afraid to hope for. Nucat was safe and sound and soon reunited with his family.

Copyright © 1996-1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

Rescuers Retrieve
Floyd's Animal Victims
KINSTON, N.C. - True to form, the American Humane Association is on the scene in North Carolina to help rescue animals caught in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd's wrath. Central to AHA's efforts is Animal Planet Rescue, an 82-foot-long rescue vehicle packed with a mobile veterinary clinic, a 4-wheel-drive emergency ambulance, rescue rafts, portable corral and a high-tech communications center.

As of Sept. 24, AHA-directed disaster relief teams had rescued more than 200 animals, including cats, dogs, cows, pigs, horses, chickens and a duck, reported Dr. Dick Green, AHA's manager of emergency animal relief and incident commander.

"With the help of our trained rescuers and volunteers, we've been able to pull a large number of animals from houses and from out of the water," Dr. Green said. "We plan to continue our operations in North Carolina until we are no longer needed."

Copyright © 1996-1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

Cats 'Testify' in Trademark
Infringement Case
LOS ANGELES - Batty and Spitfire, two cats owned by Mariel Benefiel of Corona, Calif., appeared in court this month as part of the Trovan Ltd. vs. Pfizer Inc. trademark infringement case. At issue: the use of the name Trovan by Pfizer since 1998 to identify an antibiotic, which has now been linked to multiple possible deaths, and the use of the name Trovan by Trovan Ltd. since 1989 to identify its microchip.

Batty and Spitfire's presence illustrated the confusion created by the two different products called Trovan. When Benefiel, who had her cats implanted with a Trovan microchip, heard news reports that Trovan has been linked to possible deaths, she became upset and e-mailed Trovan Ltd. to learn more.

Closing arguments for the trial, which began Aug. 18, were set for late September. Damages are predicted to exceed $100 million, giving this case the potential to become the largest trademark infringement judgment ever.

Copyright © 1996-1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

New Zealanders Own
Most Cats Per Capita
AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Research commissioned by Chef Petfood, a pet food company, found that New Zealand residents own more domestic cats per capital than any other country in the world. The cats are predominantly mixed breed; only 10 percent are purebreds. Most people (37 percent) got their cats from friends; 14 percent adopted their cats from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Copyright © 1996-1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

PETsMART Survey Gives
Insight Into Pet Ownership
PHOENIX - A just-released independent study commissioned by PETsMART Inc. supports the idea that the human-animal bond is incredibly strong. Read on for a sampling of the survey's findings tallied from 500 pet owners' responses, 54 percent of whom share their lives with cats.