Host Stacy LeBaron talks with Gina Fortunato, Executive Director of CATalyst Council, and Kristin Wuhrman, the organization’s Chair and co-founder/Chief Experience Officer of CatsOnly Veterinary Services, about a stark gap in feline care: cats now make up nearly half of U.S. household pets, yet get only a fraction of the veterinary visits dogs do. CATalyst Council, founded in 2008, exists to close that gap with data.

Gina explains how a decade-old feline usage study first exposed the problem, while years of “veterinary visits are declining” headlines actually masked cat visits quietly climbing as dog visits fell. She also flags a number that matters to TNR advocates directly: over half of cats are acquired through informal channels rather than shelters, meaning they may never enter a system connected to routine care.

Kristin breaks down the real barriers between cat parents and the vet — affordability, carrier stress, and the myth that adult cats need less care — and the data behind them: 93% of cat parents call wellness visits important, but only 51% follow through. She and Gina talk through what’s actually working: reframing reminders around a longer life rather than a routine shot, flexible visit schedules, and mobile vet care reaching cats who’d otherwise go without.

The conversation closes on Kristin’s own work building CatsOnly Veterinary Services, a feline-only hospital model minimizing stress from car to exam room, and a lighter note: the “crazy cat lady” stereotype no longer holds up, with cat ownership now split evenly by gender and a rising share of millennial cat dads.

• Why cats now outnumber dogs in growth rate, yet get only a fraction of the veterinary visits
• How CATalyst Council uses data to separate the “dog visits are down” headlines from what’s actually happening with cats
• The surprising stat that over half of cats are acquired through informal channels rather than shelters or breeders
• The four biggest barriers standing between cat parents and the vet — and which one might surprise you
• Why 93% of cat parents say wellness visits matter, but only 51% actually follow through
• How reframing a vet reminder around a cat’s longer life can change a cat parent’s behavior
• The growing role of mobile veterinary care in closing the access gap
• An inside look at CatsOnly Veterinary Services, a new feline-only hospital model built to minimize stress from car to exam room
• Why the “crazy cat lady” stereotype no longer matches the data — and the rise of the cat dad
• How the broader animal health and welfare ecosystem can better collaborate to serve every cat, from community colonies to household companions

Resources & Links

• CATalyst Council
• CatsOnly Veterinary Services
• Mission Meow