Chenchen Ji

Abstract

Homeless and abandoned cats are becoming an issue in urban areas around the world: a majority of them may carry illnesses that may lead to infectious diseases. Once back in the wild, cats may also harm the ecological equilibrium of urban areas as they are known to be hunters of birds and smaller mammals.

The popularity of online cat-related material has ballooned over the past decade. Within the confines of social media, cat-related matters have gained an enormous amount of attention. Due to the increase in cat enthusiasts, celebrities occasionally help post information about cats and have even helped ask for public assistance in cat adoptions. However, there are still a significant amount of cat enthusiasts who have difficulty receiving the attention needed for their cat either for adoption or general assistance.

Currently, there are no digital applications specifically designed for cat owners and their supporters who want to contribute to the body of cat-related knowledge and facilitate the adoption process. Some cat owners lack the necessary knowledge and skills to take care of their cat(s). Therefore, an application catering specifically to cat adoption, cat-related assistance and links related to cat non-governmental organizations (NGO) will benefit cat enthusiasts.

The application has two purposes: to make it easier for a person or organization to adopt a cat and allow current pet owners to learn more about their cat(s). Within the application, there is a post and search system for people to submit any information relating to cats under filterable terms, and those interested in adopting cats may use such search terms to locate cats through identifiers such as age, color, gender. Attached to the application, a cat-based encyclopedia called “Kittipedia” will allow professionals the ability to share knowledge about cat care and veterinary information.

Publication Date

5-8-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Visual Communication Design (MFA)

Department, Program, or Center

School of Design (CIAS)

Advisor

Nancy A. Ciolek

Advisor/Committee Member

Jason Arena

Advisor/Committee Member

Alan Singer

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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