AURORA, Colo. — July 15, 2026 — Despite an estimated 76 million cats living in U.S. homes, only about one in three received veterinary care in 2025, compared with roughly seven in ten dogs, according to the CATalyst Council’s 2026 State of the Cat Report. CatsOnly Veterinary Services was created to help close that gap by addressing several of the most common barriers preventing cats from receiving veterinary care, including the stress of the visit, the challenge of getting cats comfortably into a carrier, and uncertainty about the cost of care. This fall, the organization will open its first feline-only hospital at Stanley Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado, introducing a veterinary model intentionally designed around feline biology, behavior and emotional wellbeing.
“The gap isn’t because cat parents care less,” said Craig Wallace, co-founder and chief executive officer of CatsOnly. “It’s because veterinary care has largely evolved around dogs. We built CatsOnly Veterinary Services to change that.”
CatsOnly was founded by Wallace, Scott Maloney, chief operating officer; Kristin Wuhrman, chief marketing officer; and Dr. Jason Epstein, chief veterinary officer.
“We didn’t set out to build another veterinary hospital,” said Dr. Epstein. “We set out to build a model where every clinical decision begins with how cats experience the world and continues to support the bond they share with the people who love them.”
Every hospital will operate under Cat Friendly Practice® Gold certification, the highest tier awarded by the Feline Veterinary Medical Association, Fear Free Certified Veterinary Practice status, and CAETA Peaceful End-of-Life Practice Certification, as a baseline standard of care.
CatsOnly clinical direction is guided by a Medical Advisory Board of national leaders in feline medicine, specialty care, behavior, and education:
Margie Scherk, DVM, DABVP (Feline Practice), past president of the Feline Veterinary Medical Association
Joshua A. Stern, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Cardiology), a leading researcher in feline HCM genetics and screening
Ellen Carozza, LVT, VTS (CP-Feline), one of the world’s few VTS-certified feline practice technicians
Amie Goodrich, DVM; and Mikel Delgado, PhD, CAAB, CCBC, co-author of Total Cat Mojo, author of Play With Your Cat!, and Senior Research Scientist at Purdue.
The first CatsOnly hospital will open this fall at Stanley Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado, with a second Denver-area location planned for early 2027. Additional information is available at CatsOnly.vet.
About CatsOnly Veterinary Services
CatsOnly Veterinary Services is a feline-only veterinary organization dedicated to advancing species-specific medicine and redefining veterinary care through the eyes of the cat and cat parent. Grounded in feline behavior, emotional safety, advanced medicine, and compassionate communication, CatsOnly Veterinary Services is building a new national standard for how cats experience healthcare. The organization’s first hospital opens Fall 2026 at Stanley Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado, with additional Denver-area locations planned. Learn more at CatsOnly.vet.
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References
- CATalyst Council 2026 State of the Cat Report — domestic cat population (~76M, 45% of cats/dogs in U.S. homes), veterinary care access (1 in 3 cats vs. ~7 in 10 dogs): https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260312381406/en/CATalyst-Councils-Survey-Shows-90-of-Devoted-Cat-Owners-Can-Increase-Veterinary-Practice-Revenue
- Cat Friendly Practice® Gold certification — FelineVMA: https://catvets.com/cat-friendly/cfp/
- Fear Free Certified Veterinary Practice: https://www.fearfree.com/certifications/fear-free-certified-veterinary-practice/
- CAETA Peaceful End-of-Life Practice Certification: https://caetainternational.com/practice-certification/
- This announcement was distributed through Animal Health Newswire, the press release distribution service of Animal Health News.
- Media Contact:
Catherine Haskins, Haskins Consulting Inc.
Catherine@haskinsconsultinginc.com
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