1. Tampa
2. Phoenix
3. San Francisco
4. Portland
5. Denver
6. Boston
7. Seattle
8. San Diego
9. Atlanta
10. Minneapolis
The CATalyst Council, a coalition of the veterinary community, academia, industry, non-profits and animal welfare organizations, just came out with their top 10 list in hopes of calling attention to the importance of feline veterinary care. This list was compiled after reviewing the top 25 metropolitan areas for the following:
1. cat ownership per capita
2. level of veterinary care
3. microchipping, and
4. cat friendly local ordinances.
The CATalyst Council also gave an honorable mention to Ithaca, N.Y., the beautiful home ("Ithaca is gorges!) of the Cornell Feline Health Center, which educates the public about felines and their health.
"Cats outnumber dogs by nearly 10 million among the pet-owning public. This list clearly shows cats are loved by many," says Steve Dale spokesperson and a CATalyst Council board member in a prepared statement. "However, in my work as a journalist, I've spoken with animal control officials, welfare organizations and veterinarians across the country and often hear that cats are more likely to be neglected than dogs, more likely to wind up in shelters and less likely to be seen by veterinarians. Obviously there is room for the nation to improve the overall status and care of cats, but these cities are overcoming the current standard."
Unfortunately, there are a higher number of cats (compared to dogs) that are surrendered to shelters nationwide, especially during this recession. Jan McHugh-Smith, Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) secretary and president of the San Francisco SPCA and CATalyst Council board member stated that "We are eager to showcase these cities that demonstrate outstanding compassion and resources for cats and their owners in order to elevate the status of the cat." For more information about the CATalyst Council or about the top 10 cities, check out www.catalystcouncil.org.