Cats

Dogs may have the claim as our best friends, but Americans' favorite companions are cats. There are more pet cats than dogs in the U.S. (81.7 million cats vs. 71.2 million dogs).

To celebrate appropriate cat care and the cat/human bond, the CATalyst Council held a press event at the American Animal Hospital Association Conference in Phoenix March 27 to announce the 10 most cat-friendly cities.

Tampa, FL, topped the list, followed by Phoenix; San Francisco, CA; Portland, OR; Denver, CO; Boston, MA; Seattle, WA; San Diego, CA; Atlanta, GA, and Minneapolis, MN.

A who's who of veterinary medicine attended the press event. Dr. Jane Brunt, executive director of the CATalyst Council, which promotes feline healthcare and welfare, described how the cities were chosen.

Considerations included the total number of tabbies in town receiving quality care provided by American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) facilities, and the number of emergency and critical care specialists, boarded veterinary behavior specialists, internal medicine specialists, and members of the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

Brunt explained that part of the CATalyst mission is to reverse the trend of dogs seeing veterinarians twice as often as cats. "Our goal is to champion the cat," says Dan Kramer, chair of the CATalyst Council.

Where the economic slide has hit pet owners, and therefore the care of their pets, there's a fear that cats may pay a higher price than dogs. While some desperate owners just let their dogs loose, this happens far more often with cats. Many people wrongly assume that cats can manage on their own.

Providing identification, including microchipping, was another factor in determining the cat-friendliest cities. Other criteria: the number of Cat Fanciers' Association cat shows held in a city, the number of subscribers to Cat Fancy magazine, and the number of Animal Welfare Administrators member shelters within a municipality. Extra credit was given to cities whose mayors happen to have at least one cat. If the cat purrs, the hope is the mayor does, too.

To extend gratitude on behalf of Phoenix, James Jesse Jr., a vice president of the Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau, presented Brunt with a 'cat appreciation' proclamation.

Among specific reasons Tampa earned its place at the top of the cat tree:

The city ranked No. 1 for the number of pet hospitals accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association, second for the number of American Association of Feline Practitioner member practices, and third for the total number of veterinarians per capita. Phoenix scored second for the number of cats per capita, and second for the number of specialists in veterinary emergency and critical care. Phoenix landed fifth for the total number of vets per capita. And the city also happens to have the most subscribers to Cat Fancy. Many of the top-10 cities were cited for the work their shelters do, particularly education initiatives.

Brunt says, "Our goal is to educate people about what cats really are about. And to talk about subtle signs of illness in cats, to begin a conversation that it's all about the cat."

The CATalyst Council is a unique coalition of representatives from veterinary medicine (including members of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Animal Hospital Association, American Association of Feline Practitioners and others) working together with shelters, animal control, industry, non-profits, and academia.

Kramer, a CATalyst founder and senior marketing manager of industry relations at Pfizer Animal Health, says the coalition is going to make a difference for cats, so more receive quality veterinary care, including regular wellness exams, with ultimately more cats adopted from shelters and fewer relinquished.

Kramer added that since the American Animal Hospital Association celebrates excellence in veterinary standards, the AAHA conference seemed the perfect place to make the Cat Friendliest Cities announcement. Perhaps, he should have said the Purr-fect place.

(In full disclosure, Steve Dale is on the board of the non-profit CATalyst Council.)

Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column. Write to Steve at Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207. Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve's website is www.stevedalepetworld.com; he can be heard Sundays on WGN Radio, 8 to 10 p.m. CST (www.wgnradio.com to listen live), and hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." He's also a contributing editor to USA Weekend

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