2021’s Best Cities for Cat Lovers to Live in

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

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

But when your feline friend gives you a coveted brow bump or puts a fresh load of “cookies” on your stomach, all the pesky parts of cat ownership melt away.

However, not every city loves your cat as much as you do. So where do you find the perfect den for you and your beloved kitten?

LawnStarter rated the best cities for cat lovers in 2021 based on 11 factors such as access to veterinary practices, the cost of cat sitting, and the cat-friendliness of local rentals.

Next, take a look at our top ranking of the 200 largest US cities along with our methodology.

Our cats may not be jungle kings, but they are definitely the kings of our hearts. The people in the best cat towns know this better than anyone.

1. Orlando, FL

Orlando FloridaESB Professional / Shutterstock.com

total score: 57.22

Access and community rank: 8th

Care and nursing rank: 14

Housing and accommodation rank: 1

2. Lakewood, CO

Lakewood, ColoradoSean Xu / Shutterstock.com

total score: 55.92

Access and community rank: 6

Care and nursing rank: 2

Housing and accommodation rank: 78

3. Cary, NC

Cary North CarolinaIan Brundige / Shutterstock.com

total score: 55.48

Access and community rank: 9

Care and nursing rank: 9

Housing and accommodation rank: 14

4. Tempe, AZ

Tempe ArizonaAevanStock / Shutterstock.com

total score: 55.41

Access and community rank: 7

Care and nursing rank: 6

Housing and accommodation rank: 30

5. Fort Collins, CO

Fort Collins,marekuliasz / Shutterstock.com

total score: 55.34

Access and community rank: 42

Care and nursing rank: 7

Housing and accommodation rank: 5

6. Irvine, California.

Irvine, CaliforniaLagunaticPhoto / Shutterstock.com

total score: 53.34

Access and community rank: 40

Care and nursing rank: 1

Housing and accommodation rank: 89

7. Bellevue, WA

Bellevue, Washingtonmandritoiu / Shutterstock.com

total score: 52.51

Access and community rank: 34

Care and nursing rank: 13

Housing and accommodation rank: 8th

8. Corona, California.

Corona, CaliforniaMatt Gush / Shutterstock.com

total score: 51.05

Access and community rank: 74

Care and nursing rank: 3

Housing and accommodation rank: 24

9. Naperville, IL

Steve Cukrov / Shutterstock.com

total score: 49.75

Access and community rank: 17

Care and nursing rank: 21

Housing and accommodation rank: 12

10. Rancho Cucamonga, California

Rancho Cucamonga CaliforniaTim Gray / Shutterstock.com

total score: 49.54

Access and community rank: 3

Care and nursing rank: 17

Housing and accommodation rank: 64

11. Huntington Beach, California

Huntington Beach, Californiaf11photo / Shutterstock.com

total score: 48.84

Access and community rank: 11

Care and nursing rank: 5

Housing and accommodation rank: 152

12. Olathe, KS

Olathe, KansasDana Arriaga / Shutterstock.com

total score: 48.82

Access and community rank: 29

Care and nursing rank: 27

Housing and accommodation rank: 6

13. Hidden, CA

Escondido, CaliforniaHernando Sorzano / Shutterstock.com

total score: 48.70

Access and community rank: 18

Care and nursing rank: 11

Housing and accommodation rank: 116

14.Richmond, Virginia (tie)

Richmond, VirginiaESB Professional / Shutterstock.com

total score: 46.83

Access and community rank: 44

Care and nursing rank: 18

Housing and accommodation rank: 36

14. Springfield, MO (tie)

Springfield, MissouriTyler Peters / Shutterstock.com

total score: 46.83

Access and community rank: 131

Care and nursing rank: 22

Housing and accommodation rank: 2

methodology

Man is using too much data on his phone, tablet and laptopBacho / Shutterstock.com

We ranked the 200 largest US cities from best (# 1) to worst (# 200) based on their overall scores (out of 100 possible points) averaged over the weighted metrics below.

  • Shelters per 100,000 inhabitants
  • Cat cafés per 100,000 inhabitants
  • Pet shops per 100,000 inhabitants
  • Veterinarians per 100,000 population
  • Veterinary clinics per 100,000 inhabitants
  • Cat sitters per 100,000 residents
  • Median Cat Sitter Rate Per Visit
  • Average home square footage
  • Share of cat-friendly rental apartments
  • Pet-friendly hotels per 100,000 inhabitants
  • Cat pensions per 100,000 inhabitants

Sources: CatTipper.com, Cat Wisdom 101, Hauspanther, Homes.com, PetSitter.com, Rent.com, Sittercity, TripAdvisor, VCA Animal Hospital, and Yelp.

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