The WHISKAS® Brand spreads more happiness to cats in need by fulfilling items from shelter Wish Lists across Canada
TORONTO, April 30, 2025 /CNW/ - Today the WHISKAS® Brand, proudly part of the Mars family of brands, released the findings of the WHISKAS® brand Cat Happiness Scale. The WHISKAS® brand partnered with experts from Waltham Petcare Science Institute to identify the top behaviours associated with cat happiness and then uncovered cities where they are most frequently displayed by Canadian cats on social media.
While this research identified the cities that are home to Canada's happiest cats, many felines in shelters may need a little more happiness. That is why today the WHISKAS® brand is also supporting select animal shelters across the country by fulfilling items from their Wish Lists, ranging from cat food, toys and products to general supplies the shelter needs.
Canadian Cities with the Happiest Cats
From displaying behaviours related to relaxation and affection such as purring and slow blinking, the playful and insightful Cat Happiness Scale rates Canadian cities based on a set of "happy cat behaviours," revealing what makes Canadian cats purr with contentment and educating Canadian pet parents to help them better understand their cats.
Leading the list of cities that are home to Canada's happiest cats is Hamilton, Canada's new happy cat capital. The full list of top 10 cities for happiest cats are: Hamilton (ON), Laval (QC), Ottawa (ON), Vancouver (BC), Quebec City (QC), Markham (ON), Winnipeg (MB), Montreal (QC), Kitchener (ON) and Gatineau (QC).
"Cats have a reputation for being aloof and difficult to understand. However, they are excellent pets with unique personalities," said Dr. Tammie King, Senior Research Manager, Waltham Petcare Science Institute. "For all cat parents who wonder about how to read their cats, you're not alone. Overall, people tend to find it difficult to interpret their cat's body language and emotional state. With the Cat Happiness Scale, derived from the scientific understanding of cat behaviour, we love the opportunity to help Canadian cat parents better understand their pets, and ultimately strengthen the human-cat bond."
Helping Even More Cats in Need
The WHISKAS® brand knows that not all cats have the same opportunities to experience happiness. That's why the brand is launching the Wish Lists initiative to spread happiness to cats by fulfilling items including food, toys and supplies from the wish lists of the following shelters:
- SPCA St. John's, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Cochrane Humane Society, Cochrane, Alberta
- Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, Various, Ontario
- Maison Le Chat Botte, Montréal, Québec
- Okanagan Humane Society, Kelowna, British Columbia
"This wish list fulfillment effort by the WHISKAS® brand will help us greatly in terms of our ability to keep the cats in our care as happy as possible while they wait for their forever homes," said Robyn Roy, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Cochrane and Area Humane Society. "Flirt, a cherished resident cat at CAHS since 2023, loves to get rubs and snuggles from our volunteers while playing with the new toys donated from our wish list, fulfilled by the WHISKAS® brand. Flirt brings cozy companionship and a daily dose of affection and happiness to everyone she meets. At 15.5 years young, she continues to thrive with WHISKAS® as a part of her daily routine."
Additionally, the WHISKAS® brand team is encouraging cat parents and cat lovers to get involved and help spread happiness to all shelter cats across the country. They can donate wish list items to their local shelter and claim a free WHISKAS Pouch product.*
"This isn't just about celebrating Canada's happiest cats, it's about spreading that joy to even more cats across Canada," says Animesh Kumar, Marketing Director, Mars Pet Nutrition Canada. "We're giving cat owners a fun way to identify markers of happiness, both physically and emotionally, while inspiring people to support shelter cats who deserve the same love and happiness. Through this initiative, we're furthering the WHISKAS® brand's mission to create one purr at a time, while aspiring to achieve the Mars Petcare Purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS."
WHISKAS® Wet Cat Food Pouch: A New Format for Mealtimes
The new WHISKAS® pouch format is designed to make mealtimes more enjoyable for cats and their parents. With a quick three-step "Shake, Tear, Pour" process, the packaging is convenient and mess-free for easy meals every time. The new pouches are available across Canada wherever cat food is sold.
Customers can receive a FREE pouch here: ENG OR FR
WHISKAS® Cat Happiness Study Methodology
This study used social listening to determine which cities in Canada have the happiest cats, analyzing thousands of user-generated images of cats posted on Instagram and TikTok by owners in major Canadian cities. Only non-commercial, non-AI, and naturally captured content was included. This social media content was coded using a custom scorecard informed by the Waltham Pet Science Institute's SHINE™ framework, focusing on key cat happiness indicators. The results provide a ranking of 10 Canadian cities based on highest percentage of positive happy cat behaviours.
For more information about WHISKAS® products, visit www.whiskas.ca.
ABOUT THE WHISKAS® BRAND:
WHISKAS® has been lovingly making food for cats since 1958, that's over 60 years of experience that we use to make our feline friends purr more. Not only are we committed to developing delicious products, we're devoted to helping all cats live healthier and happier lives.
At WHISKAS® we know and understand how much people love their cats – we feel the same. We love them for who they really are – they are independent spirits but still need nurturing, love and care.
We believe the best way to help owners provide that care is through understanding their cat and providing them with tasty food to satisfy them, bringing out that glorious purr of approval, strengthening the bond between owner and cat.
As the makers of WHISKAS®, we pride ourselves on producing recipes that reassure cat owners they are filling their cats' bellies with a healthy and tasty diet. We work with the Waltham Petcare Science Institute for Pet Nutrition to develop products that constantly improve nutrition, taste and care.
We ensure that all of our meals are filled with the natural goodness your cat deserves while always 100% nutritionally complete and balanced. It's part of our mission to create a world where all cats purr more.
ABOUT WALTHAM PETCARE SCIENCE INSTITUTE
Waltham Petcare Science Institute has been advancing pet health and nutrition for more than 60 years. Today, we research new ways to predict, manage and prevent disease, discovering insights and advances that proactively help pets live happier, healthier lives. Waltham collaborates with leading external scientific experts and partners to drive innovation based on scientific evidence to achieve our Purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS." Building on a strong legacy of human-animal interaction research, we continue to advance scientific understanding of the relationships between pets and people.
For more information, visit: www.waltham.com. Join us on LinkedIn
ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED:
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $50bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M'S®, SNICKERS® and BEN'S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles — Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom — inspire our 150,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.
For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
*Free Samples Terms & Conditions
Customers may redeem online for their complimentary WHISKAS Pouch samples. Quantities are limited. First ordered, first served. Limit one order per address and/or IP. Duplicate orders will be removed. The WHISKAS Brand will be sending three units per household. Consumers should allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.
SOURCE WHISKAS®
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