It has been said that cats always land on their feet, and as any cat lover can attest, it surely seems to be so. But this characteristic only applies to physical falling -- unfortunately, there are other situations in which cats do not land so easily. Each year millions of cats enter shelters in the U.S. and are euthanized. Of the cats that enter shelters, more than 70% are eventually put to sleep.

Cats that are placed in shelters come from a variety of circumstances, and though it is difficult to say how many of these cats are placed in shelters because their owner was no longer able to care for them, it is safe to assume that the numbers are significant.

While none of us intends for our feline companions to end up in a shelter (or worse yet, simply out on the street), the sad truth is that many cats do not "land on their feet" when their owner dies or becomes incapacitated. If something were to happen to you, what would happen to your cat? If you have not made explicit arrangements for her care in your absence, the answer might be a scary one.