Alley Cat Allies, the national advocate for stray and feral cats, has launched a print Public Service Announcement campaign featuring Angela Kinsey, star of the NBC comedy “The Office.”
In the ad, Kinsey declares herself an “Alley Cat Ally,” and a supporter of Alley Cat Allies’ major campaign to raise awareness about the millions of Americans who care for stray and feral cats in their communities.
“We are delighted to have Angela Kinsey on board to represent the individuals from all walks of life who share compassion for these cats,” said Becky Robinson, president of Alley Cat Allies, the recognized authority on feral cats and Trap-Neuter-Return.
“Kinsey’s character on The Office, Angela, exemplifies a stereotype sometimes associated with cat lovers,” said Robinson. “But the truth is millions of Americans have opened their hearts and wallets to stray and feral cats.”
A national survey by the respected research organization Harris Interactive found that over 40 percent of Americans have fed a stray cat in their lives, and one out of five has done so in the past year.
Feral cats are the same species as domestic cats, but they are not socialized to people and prefer to live in family groups called colonies. Because they are not adoptable, they are almost always killed in animal shelters.
Robinson noted that many progressive communities across the country have adopted a lifesaving program called Trap-Neuter-Return, in which feral cats are humanely trapped, brought to a veterinarian to be neutered and vaccinated and returned to their outdoor home. Trap-Neuter-Return is the best course of action for feral cats because it ends the breeding cycle, stabilizes populations and improves the cats’ health, Robinson said.
