Justin Wm. Moyer reports on a privately-funded count of Washington’s cats:
You might know a Tiger, a Tigger or a Mr. Whiskers. But how many cats are really living in the streets and sleeping on the couches of the District?
By spending $1.5 million over three years, a consortium of scientists and animal welfare organizations thinks it can find out with an initiative known as the DC Cat Count, which launches Tuesday.
The cat census, organized by the Humane Rescue Alliance, the Humane Society of the United States, PetSmart Charities and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, will help animal advocates understand how many felines are in the city and how to cope with cats that don’t have a home.
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The project is planned to last three years, with the $1.5 million price tag funded by animal advocacy nonprofit groups.
From far away in Whitewater, Wisconsin, it might appear as though no one would have an answer to the question of how many cats are in Washington, D.C.
It’s really not so hard to answer, however.
How many cats are in Washington, D.C.?
Not enough.