Brea, Calif. (May 5, 2010) – Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), the No. 1 veterinarian-recommended pet health insurance company, has committed $25,000 to the CATalyst Council, a non-profit group founded to promote the health and welfare of cats. The funds will help CATalyst create and distribute educational materials to cat owners through shelters and veterinary clinics in conjunction with the American Humane Association’s Adopt-a-Cat-Month in June.
CATalyst Council’s research indicates that while cats are America’s No. 1 companion animal, they often receive a far lower level of veterinary care than do their canine counterparts. CATalyst’s vision is to raise the level of care and welfare of cats supported by the highest quality veterinary care, preventative medicine, and cat specific products.
VPI’s data is consistent with the CATalyst Council’s research. Despite the large population of cats in the United States, feline policies represent only about 13 percent of VPI Pet Insurance policies. In order to improve the opportunities for cats to be protected, VPI designed, and recently began a nationwide rollout of, its Feline SelectSM plan, which has benefits available for the 15 conditions most common to cats (upset stomach, bladder infections, upper respiratory infections, kidney failure, diabetes and more).
VPI also offers optional CareGuard® coverage for routine procedures. VPI’s CareGuard plans include benefits for two physical exams per year, as recommended by veterinarians and the CATalyst Council. In addition to its Feline Select and CareGuard plans, VPI also provides full medical coverage plans for America’s feline companions.
About the CATalyst Council
The CATalyst Council was formed when organizations and corporations dedicated to cat health and welfare became concerned about study results that showed cats are less likely to receive veterinary care than dogs. Nationwide shelter statistics show most cats are never placed in permanent homes.
The Council promotes the value of cats as pets and strives to increase the awareness of cat health and welfare issues and the level of care cats receive through high-quality veterinary care, preventive medicine, and cat-friendly products. More information about the CATalyst Council is available at http://catalystcouncil.org/.
About Veterinary Pet Insurance
With more than 480,000 pets insured nationwide, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co./DVM Insurance Agency is the No. 1 veterinarian-recommended pet health insurance company and is a member of the Nationwide Insurance family of companies.
Providing pet owners with peace of mind since 1982, the company is committed to being the trusted choice of America’s pet lovers and an advocate of pet health education. VPI Pet Insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Optional Pet CareGuardSM for routine care is also available.
Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 2,000 companies nationwide offer VPI Pet Insurance as an employee benefit. Policies are underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and in all other states by National Casualty Company, an A+15 rated company in Madison, Wisconsin. Pet owners can find VPI Pet Insurance on Facebook or follow @VPI on Twitter. For more information about VPI Pet Insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.