• by Tanya Gazdik , 11 hours ago

For those whose Valentine’s Day didn’t live up to the hype, there’s still hope for love in the form of a feline companion. 

Fresh Step cat litter is partnering with Best Friends Animal Society for a cat adoption promotion on Bumble. Through the end of the month, Bumble users can swipe right on adoptable cats. 

Self-professed cat lover and actress Ariana Madix has been enlisted by the brand to encourage singles to skip the drama that comes with dating humans and look for a love connection with an adoptable cat.

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. 

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 study 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).

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.

Through Feb. 16, Fresh Step will cover cat adoption fees for cats adopted through Best Friends locations in Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Northwest Arkansas, Salt Lake City, and the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah.

The “Date Cats, Not Humans” campaign, which is part of Fresh Step’s brand refresh, includes a long-form PSA-style video, 30-second and 15-second cutdowns, and social teasers via @FreshStep on TikTok and Instagram. Autumn Communications created the campaign.