DEN Introduces First Feline Member to the Canine Airport Therapy Squad (CATS)

DENVER – Sept. 29, 2017 – If you are lover of the feline persuasion, look no further. Denver International Airport’s (DEN) Canine Airport Therapy Squad (CATS) just got real with the addition of an actual cat – and she is just what you need to bring some extra joy to your travel experience. Today, passengers in the Jeppesen Terminal got to meet Xeli (zell-ee) before she officially begins her stint on the CATS team.

“Our CATS program has been extremely popular with passengers since its inception in 2015, and what a purr-fect way to take the program to the next level by introducing our first feline, Xeli,” airport CEO Kim Day said. “Just like all of our dogs, Xeli will visit passengers on our concourses, bringing joy and comfort to passengers of all ages.”

Xeli is a 5-year-old female domestic shorthair cat, weighing in at a slim 12 pounds. She is a registered therapy cat from Denver, and loves meeting new people. Like all CATS team members, Xeli and her handler, Nathan, are volunteers. When at the airport, Xeli will visit passengers in the terminal and on the concourses and will be leashed. Passengers are encouraged to pet and take photos with her! Xeli’s first official day at DEN is Oct. 13.

All CATS teams work a minimum of 10 hours per quarter. While the dates of visits are flexible, CATS and their handlers average three visits each month and walk the concourses delighting and comforting passengers. Each of the CATS has his or her own trading card that includes interesting facts about them, including their “pet peeves.”

Members of the CATS teams are chosen after an interview and testing process. Each dog/cat is a family pet and must be shown to have a calm, friendly demeanor in public. The animals and their owners are trained, registered and insured by certified therapy organizations, and an annual recertification is required for both dog and owner. Each CATS team must have therapy experience at another facility before service at DEN.

In addition, all CATS volunteers complete DEN customer service training and field evaluations to ensure the airport’s busy environment is a good fit for both human and animal. Human volunteers go through airport security background checks, fingerprinting, and security testing prior to receiving an airport ID badge.

The DEN CATS program is not the first airport program, but it is one of the largest with more than 79 dogs representing 39 breeds, and now, one domestic shorthair cat. It’s also among the most fashion-forward programs, with the best dressed therapy pups at any airport in the world. They can be found wearing easily recognizable, blue plaid apparel custom designed by Spyder Active Sports Inc., a Colorado company that has become one of the largest ski-specialty brands in the world.

To learn more about each of our CATS, please visit www.flydenver.com/cats.

Denver International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. DEN is the primary economic engine for the state of Colorado, generating more than $36 billion for the region annually. For more information visit www.FlyDenver.com, check us out on YouTube and Instagram, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Sign up for DEN’s monthly newsletter Nonstop News.

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