Truth or Tales: Best Friends Animal Society asks how well do you know cats?

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Best Friends Animal Society is launching a new nationwide initiative “Truth or Tails” with Litter-Robot to combat false ideas about felines and help cats get adopted during Adopt a Cat Month this June.

Many people have misconceptions about cats, and Best Friends is asking animal lovers to help separate truth from tales by sharing pictures and videos of cats defying misconceptions on social media.

For every post, Litter-Robot will donate to Best Friends, and Litter-Robot is also sponsoring cat and kitten adoption fees at certain Best Friends locations nationwide, including the Sugarhouse location in Salt Lake City.

Throughout June, use the hashtag #FelineFolkloreChallenge, and Litter-Robot will donate $1 to Best Friends Animal Society up to $10,000 to support cats in shelters.

What kinds of misconceptions about cats are out there? Here are a few:

• Tale: Cats are independent and don’t need attention.
  • Truth: Some cats are highly social and crave human interaction!
• Tale: You can’t train a cat.
  • Truth: Cats can be trained to do tricks, play fetch, and even walk on a leash.
• Tale: Cats don’t recognize their names.
  • Truth: Cats do recognize their names… but they may choose to ignore them.

According to CEO of Best Friends Animal Society Julie Castle, last year saw the lowest number of cats killed in U.S. shelters in history. This initiative is hoping to keep that positive momentum going, she said in a press release.