For 6 years Feline Future maintained a controlled study group of domestic cats in a home-like
environment. The 19 cats had access to all areas of the 2 level 3 bedroom home as well as access
to a garden-like glass enclosed outdoor habitat. A separate room was provided to house a 4x4 ft.
litterbox. The Feline Future office and manufacturing site for InstinctsTC at that time, as well
as a large kitchen for the care and feeding of the cats, and a living room for visitors and resting
area for the cats occupied the remaining spaces.
All the cats peacefully cohabitated as a colony and were never kept separated or caged. A custom
made piece of furniture we named “kitty kennels” was used during feeding times to allow all cats
their personal space while they were eating. The cats learned this name very fast and eagerly jumped
into their respective compartments in anticipation of breakfast or supper.
8 of the cats were born at Feline Future, while the others had come into our care at all ages as
strays or from animal shelters. 3 kittens in addition to the 19 cats came to us in 2001 as orphans
from the SPCA and were bottle raised by us. Growing up they became part of a separate study and
were the first kittens raised on our purified no-bonemeal formula. As adolescents they were later
adopted into private homes. During these 6 years we lost one wonderful old fellow named Odin who
came into our care at 14 years old after his owner had passed. Odin, an intact tom at his age,
was a rough customer without teeth who demanded respect. We lost the battle-scarred, big, black
cat who had swiftly taken our hearts to cancer.
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