Date Cats, Not Humans

This Valentine’s Day, Fresh Step and self-professed cat lover Ariana Madix are inspiring singles to skip the drama that comes with dating humans and look for a love connection with an adoptable cat. In this new campaign, “Date Cats, Not Humans,” singles are served the perfect solution to their Valentine’s Day woes: starting Feb. 3, adoptable cats from leading national animal welfare organization Best Friends Animal Society will take over Bumble in a first-of-its-kind partnership. Users will have the opportunity to “swipe right” and make a real connection with a feline friend, with Fresh Step providing free litter to new cat parents and covering cat adoption fees during Valentine’s Day weekend.
New research from Fresh Step and YouGov* confirms what cat lovers already know: having a cat doesn't hurt your dating life. It helps. Cat owners are more willing to share their emotions and vulnerabilities, and more likely to get a “swipe right," especially from fellow cat owners. This Valentine's Day, to celebrate this connection between cats and their people, Fresh Step and Best Friends join forces to find homes for adoptable cats.
Why are cats the key to dating happiness?
A new study commissioned by Fresh Step reveals that having a cat doesn't replace a romantic partner. It might actually make you a better one.
Cat owners are more open to connection. Only 8% say they can't trust anyone with their emotions, compared to 16% of non-cat owners. They're also less likely to deal with emotions in isolation (11% vs. 19% of non-cat owners).

They might even have a leg up in the dating world. Cat owners are more than five times as likely to have swiped right on someone specifically because they had a cat in their photos (11% vs. 2% of non-cat owners). And among dating app users, nearly 1 in 4 cat owners (24%) say a cat photo would make them more likely to match, compared to just 11% of overall dating app users.
The takeaway? Date a cat, not a human… so you can be a better partner.
How Can I Adopt?
Simply open your Bumble app or visit bestfriends.org/FreshStep starting Feb. 3, where you can view adoptable cats through Best Friends, as well as available cats in shelters nationwide.
For the month of February, Fresh Step will provide a coupon for a month of free litter to everyone who adopts a cat with Best Friends, redeemable at Walmart or on Walmart.com, Fresh Step’s clay clumping litter promises to keep your litter box smelling fresh with paw-activated odor control, so new cat parents can focus on the joys of bringing their new Valentine home. Plus, during Valentine’s Day weekend (Feb. 13-16), Fresh Step will cover cat adoption fees for cats adopted through the organization’s locations in Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Northwest Arkansas, Salt Lake City, and the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT.