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"CAT"astrophe: Good, Bad and Ugly of Internet Cats

Monday, March 16
3:30PM - 4:30PM

Austin Convention Center
Room 5ABC
Austin Convention Center

The Internet has an insatiable appetite for cats like Grumpy Cat and Lil’ Bub. Unfortunately, the virtual popularity of cats hasn’t translated into more real adoptions. Of the 8 million dogs and cats that enter U.S. animal shelters each year, about 4 million are euthanized. Sadly, cats are more likely to be euthanized than dogs. Cat behavorist and TV host Jackson Galaxy and Bryan Kortis, author and TNR expert for PetSmart Charities, will discuss new data and reasons why cats, despite their Internet popularity, don’t get the same respect as dogs. Cats don’t visit the veterinarian as often as dogs, and cats who become lost are much less likely to be reunited with their owners. We need to change this attitude because let’s face it; cats don’t really have eight more lives to live. We'll ask for your ideas on how to take the obsession and fascination we have for Internet cats, use the power of social media and advocate for change so that more lives are saved.

Hashtags

#sxsw #SaveCats

Presenters

Bryan Kortis

Program Mgr

PetSmart Charities

Bryan Kortis, program manager for PetSmart Charities and leader in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs across North America which have greatly reduced the feral cat population in cities like Albuquerque and Baltimore.

Jackson Galaxy

Television Host & Cat Behaviorist

WME Entertainment

A cat behaviorist by day and rock ‘n’ roller by night, Jackson Galaxy, host of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell, challenges the traditional cat lover persona with his tattoo clad arms and guitar ca...

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