2021’s Best Cities for Cat Lovers to Live in

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on LawnStarter.

They spill your coffee, ruin your emails, and keep you awake all night long with their zoomies.

But when your kitty gives you a coveted forehead bump or makes a fresh batch of “biscuits” on your belly, all the annoying parts of cat ownership melt away.

Not every city loves your cat as much as you do, though. So, where can you find the purrfect den for you and your free-loading feline roommates?

LawnStarter ranked 2022’s best cities for cat lovers based on 14 factors, such as access to veterinarians’ offices and the feline-friendliness of local rental properties.

Check out our ranking of the best places for your kitty to live like a king (of the jungle) after this, followed by our methodology.

1. Orlando, FL

Overall Score: 58.1

Cat Access Rank: 21

Care Access Rank: 1

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 11

Affordability Rank: 108

2. Scottsdale, AZ

Overall Score: 51.85

Cat Access Rank: 4

Care Access Rank: 27

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 12

Affordability Rank: 19

3. Knoxville, TN

Overall Score: 49.74

Cat Access Rank: 18

Care Access Rank: 2

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 25

Affordability Rank: 183

4. Fort Lauderdale, FL

Overall Score: 49.00

Cat Access Rank: 5

Care Access Rank: 8

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 190

Affordability Rank: 38

5. Fort Collins, CO

Overall Score: 48.94

Cat Access Rank: 94

Care Access Rank: 4

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 66

Affordability Rank: 74

6. Salem, OR

Overall Score: 48.92

Cat Access Rank: 6

Care Access Rank: 7

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 132

Affordability Rank: 130

7. Richmond, VA

Overall Score: 48.17

Cat Access Rank: 9

Care Access Rank: 11

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 52

Affordability Rank: 121

8. Las Vegas, NV

Overall Score: 48.14

Cat Access Rank: 35

Care Access Rank: 6

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 107

Affordability Rank: 129

9. Savannah, GA

Overall Score: 47.33

Cat Access Rank: 32

Care Access Rank: 9

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 13

Affordability Rank: 170

10. Murfreesboro, TN

Overall Score: 47.05

Cat Access Rank: 102

Care Access Rank: 17

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 2

Affordability Rank: 79

11. Santa Rosa, CA

Overall Score: 46.96

Cat Access Rank: 1

Care Access Rank: 37

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 152

Affordability Rank: 98

12. Tampa, FL

Overall Score: 46.00

Cat Access Rank: 50

Care Access Rank: 15

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 67

Affordability Rank: 45

13. Salt Lake City, UT

Overall Score: 45.77

Cat Access Rank: 43

Care Access Rank: 21

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 30

Affordability Rank: 48

14. Alexandria, VA

Overall Score: 45.57

Cat Access Rank: 8

Care Access Rank: 30

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 157

Affordability Rank: 10

15. Tallahassee, FL

Overall Score: 45.42

Cat Access Rank: 29

Care Access Rank: 10

Housing and Accommodations Rank: 121

Affordability Rank: 135

Methodology

For each of the 200 biggest U.S. cities, we first gathered publicly available data on the factors listed in the table below.

We then grouped those factors into four categories: Cat Access, Care Access, Cat-Friendly Housing and Accommodations, and Affordability.

Next, we calculated weighted scores for each city in each category.

Finally, we averaged the scores for each city across all categories. The city that earned the highest average score was ranked “Best” (No. 1), while the city with the lowest was “Worst” (No. 200).

• Animal Shelters per 100,000 Residents
• Number of Cat Cafes
• Cat Sitters per 100,000 Residents
• Cat Boarding Establishments per 100,000 Residents
• Cat-Friendly Veterinarians per 100,000 Residents
• Number of Emergency Animal Hospitals
• Pet Stores per 100,000 Residents
• Average Home Square Footage
• Share of Cat-Friendly Rental Properties
• Cat-Friendly Hotels per 100,000 Residents
• Average Pet Sitter Rate per Visit (as % of Average Household Income)
• Average State Cat Insurance Premium (as % of Average Household Income)
• Average Hotel Pet Fee (as % of Average Household Income)

Sources: Cat Friendly Homes, Cat Wisdom 101, CatTipper.com, Hauspanther, Homes.com, Meow Around, Pawlicy Advisor, PetSitter.com, Petswelcome.com, Rent.com, Sittercity, TripAdvisor, VCA Animal Hospitals, and Yelp

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