How Feline-ality Was Developed

ASPCA's Emily Weiss, PhD, CAAB conducted the research and development that led to Meet Your Match® Feline-ality™. Dr. Weiss is currently ASPCA Senior Director of Shelter Research and Development.

Before the Feline-ality research, little research had been done on feline behavior assessment tools and their validity. The ASPCA and Dr. Weiss surveyed many shelters across the country regarding behavior assessments they were currently using for their cats. None of the facilities had conducted formal research, but several had assessments they felt were helpful in deciding adoptability or future behavior.

The ASPCA and Dr. Weiss designed and implemented a research project that investigated several of these items, working with five agencies in the U.S. and Canada:

• Animal Refuge League, Westbrook, ME
• Animal Welfare Association, Voorhees, NJ
• Hamilton-Burlington SPCA, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
• Humane Society of Boulder Valley, Boulder, CO
• Kansas Humane Society, Wichita, KS

Learn more about the three-phased research and development process that culminated in the development of the Meet your Match Feline-ality Adoption program. 

Articles, Presentations and Interview with Emily Weiss, PhD, CAAB

New Research Helps Adopters Meet Their Feline Soul Mates(.pdf)
Dr. Weiss explains the research that went into the development of Feline-ality in this AnimalSheltering magazine article.

Audio Interview with Emily Weiss (.mp3)

Meet Your Match Saves Lives
Post by Dr. Weiss in ASPCApro's Shelters' Edge blog

Finding the Perfect Match to Increase Adoptions in Your Shelter (Feline Forum Presentation)
Dr. Weiss offers an overview of the Feline-ality program.