Top 10 Cat-Friendly Cities

That's me with my Himalayan, Harrison. Many folks think of me as just a dog owner but I am also the proud owner of three cats. And that is why am interested in this recent information that I received from the American Veterinary Medical Association about the formation of the CATalyst Council, a coalition of the veterinary community, academia, nonprofits, industry and animal welfare organizations.

In March, the organization named Tampa, Phoenix, San Francisco, Portland (Ore.), Denver, Boston, Seattle, San Diego, Atlanta and Minneapolis as the Top 10 Cat-Friendly Cities in the United States.

What makes a cat-friendly city? The love and care cats receive, says the CATalyst Council. Moreover, the list was compiled after reviewing the top 25 standard metropolitan areas for such data as cat ownership per capita, level of veterinary care, microchipping and cat-friendly local ordinances.

Furthermore, the organization wants to recognize and celebrate that cats are popular pets. Although dogs have long been called man's best friend, recent data suggests that cats are the country's number one companion pet. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association's 2007 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook, the number of cats owned is 81.7 million and amount of dogs owned is 72 million; cat outnumber dogs by nearly 10 million amongst the pet-owning public. In additon to the rise of the cat population, the AVMA reported that cat visits to veterinarians decreased approximately 11% between 2001 and 2006. Lastly, a 2006 survey by the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) showed that animal shelters are seeing more cats given up than dogs.

As a cat owner, I must emphasize that it is extremely important for every pet, including cats, to see their veterinarian regularly. Ensuring your cat's health through regular veterinary visits is of utmost importance.