You could be gazing at the animal of your dreams, but you just can’t tell what she’s thinking behind that furry face. What if you knew a little something about her personality and habits before you moved in together? The Meet Your Match™ program wouldn’t let you go home without knowing who’s in that carrier or on that leash. MYM is the only method in existence today that evaluates an animal’s behavior and interests and matches them to an adopter’s preferences so that you take home a pet you can really click with. Meet Your Match™ is a program of ASPCA.

CANINE-ALITY

The Meet Your Match™ Canine-ality™ assessment begins with an initial MYM SAFER™ (Safety Assessment for Evaluating Rehoming) behavior screening to make sure each pooch is a good candidate for adoption. Dogs are then tested on their friendliness, playfulness, energy level, motivation and drive, and placed into one of nine color-coded Canine-alities. Some pooches are laid-back “Couch Potatoes,” others are curious “Busy Bees,” and then there are the action hero “Go-Getter” types.

As an adopter, you also get a color based on your preferences and lifestyle. On your visit to the adoption facility, you’re given a purple, orange or green guest pass to match the pets who might suit you best.

• Green adopters are most successful with pooches who like to be physically and mentally engaged.
• Orange adopters are a good fit with middle-of-the-road dogs who are responsive and enjoy regular activity and interaction.
• Purple adopters are comfortable with canines who have a laidback attitude and prefer an easygoing lifestyle.

Now you’re off—with a color-coded guest pass in hand—to find your new companion. As you pass each furry face, you’ll notice the dogs have color cards on their cages. You don’t have to choose a pooch whose color matches yours—love at first sight does happen. But knowing the color lets you at least prepare for the way your four-legged love will respond when he gets home.

FELINE-ALITY

Each adoptable cat is assessed based on level of interest in play, exploring, “talking,” and being the center of attention so that he or she can be placed into one of the nine color-coded “feline-ality” types that make up the Meet Your Match program. Green cats are savvy and adventurous, orange cats make the perfect companions and purple kitties are quiet, seek affection and stay out of trouble. The color is indicated on the cat’s kennel card, along with a short description, so you’ll know just who you’re dealing with in your quest for your dream kitty.

Let’s say you are looking to find the cat of your dreams. When you go to a shelter using the Feline-ality assessment, you’ll be asked to fill out a one-page Cat Adopter Survey—19 questions about your lifestyle and how you envision your cat fitting in to this lifestyle. Sound kinda fun? It is—think magazine quiz, not college application.

Your results will tell the shelter what your “color” is—green, orange or purple.

In a nutshell:

• Green adopters are most successful with cats who quickly adapt to new situations.
• Purple adopters are perfect for kitties who need time and encouragement to adjust to their new surroundings.
• Orange adopters are a good fit with the quintessential companion kitty.

P.S. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, the kitties in the shelter know their true colors, too—so purple people meet purple felines, and then decide if they’re ready to paint the town…well, purple!

But don’t worry if you’d rather mix-and-match—adopters are not required to choose a cat with a particular feline-ality, and the assessment can prepare you for your new love’s response to her new home and help her adjust.