You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2696 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Closing The “Cat Gap” Can Increase Adoptions (NAPSA)—For many, cats and kittens can be an almost endless source of fascination. It’s not uncommon for people to confess they can spend hours watching cute cat videos on the Internet and sharing cat photos online. Unfortunately, it seems this online fascination with cats is not translating into real-life adoptions. Every year, an estimated 8 million pets enter U.S. shelters, and approximately 4 million of them are euthanized because there are not enough homes. A recent PetSmart Charities survey of people’s perceptions of cats found that the negative opinions some people have of cats are hurting their image. For instance, when asked about the personality and behavioral traits of cats, respondents overwhelmingly described cats as curious, stubborn, moody and aloof. Dogs, on the other hand, were described in much more positive terms, such as friendly, loyal, protective and loving. It’s thought perceptions such as these that are making it more difficult for cats to be adopted into permanent homes. Fortunately, there are indications that some people are taking steps to end these misperceptions once and for all. Sixty-six percent of respondents said that too many people have negative impressions of cats and 56 percent said that the stereotypes about cats simply Experts say that cats are often the victim of negative stereotypes that hamper adoptions. aren’t true. Additionally, half of the respondents believed that more people would have a pet cat if the stereotypes around cats were removed. The survey also found that cat lovers may be uniquely positioned to help cats the most. Research shows that by sharing more about their cat online, particularly through social media, cat owners can help to counter the negative stereotypes surrounding cats and show them in a positive light. The PetSmart Charities cat perception survey was fielded via Toluna Analytics to 1,022 U.S.based respondents during the period from February 11–14, 2015. It has a +/- 3 percent margin of error. To learn more, visit www.pet smartcharities.org. Get Your Website Noticed (NAPSA)—To get your company website noticed, you need to consider two things: audience and content. The audience refers to your site's visitors and the search engines that bring them there. To optimize your site, develop as much quality content as possible using intentionally chosen keywords. Each page should not only contain useful information for your readers, it should have a focus that can be defined by one or two keywords. Use enough of these to bring the page to the attention of search engines and to attract the greatest number of relevant visitors. Today, marketing is dominated by valuable content and information. The Internet provides people with access to any information they wish, and your job is to become the best source for information in your field. Blogging is a great way to create informative content. It makes for more pages and inbound links, thus keeping your site active for search engines. It also engages your target audience and increases awareness of your company and brand. To learn more or to get help creating content for your site, visit www.Inklyo.com, an online provider of professional and shareable content for businesses around the world. Healthy Bones For Life (NAPSA)—When it comes to good health, you can certainly feel it in your bones. That’s because your bones are alive. Every day, the body breaks down old bone and puts new bone in its place. While it is normal to lose some bone with age, too much bone loss can lead to osteoporosis. What Is Osteoporosis? With osteoporosis, the bones become weak and are more likely to break, especially those in the wrist, spine and hip. Because bone loss often happens over time and doesn’t hurt, many people have weak bones and don’t even know it. A broken bone is often the first sign of osteoporosis. It’s a good idea, therefore, to know the risk factors. These include: •Poor Diet. Too little calcium can increase your chances of getting osteoporosis. Not enough vitamin D can also increase your risk. Vitamin D helps the body use the calcium in your diet. •Not Enough Physical Activity. Not exercising and not being active for a long time can increase your chances of getting osteoporosis. Like muscles, bones become stronger—and stay stronger—with regular exercise. •Body Weight. Being too thin makes you more likely to get osteoporosis. •Smoking. Cigarettes can keep your body from using the calcium in your diet. •Alcohol. People who drink a lot are more likely to get osteoporosis. •Medicines. Certain medications can cause bone loss. •Age. Your chances of getting osteoporosis increase as you get older. •Gender. Women have a greater chance of getting osteoporosis because they have smaller bones than men and lose bone faster than men do. However, men To keep bones healthy and strong, it helps to eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, and get plenty of exercise. can still develop osteoporosis as they age. •Ethnicity. White and Asian women are most likely to get osteoporosis. However, people of all backgrounds are at risk. •Family History. Having a close relative with osteoporosis may increase your risk. What To Do About It Since osteoporosis has no symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor about your bone health. If your doctor feels you’re at risk, he or she may order a bone density test. It’s quick, safe and painless. If your bone density test shows that your bones are weak, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and prescribe medication that can help. Learn More For further information on osteoporosis and bone health, you can go to www.niams.nih.gov/ multicultural, the website of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), or call toll free (877) 226-4267 and order a free publication on bone health, available in English or in Spanish.