It’s official: Birmingham is the #1 place in the US to live right now. If you are a cat, that is

Cats rule, dogs drool. In a new study by PetListed.com, Birmingham is officially the cats meow. Find out what makes us No. 1.

A Look at the Study

The study looked at data sets covering the most 100 populous cities in America to discover which were the most feline friendly. PetListed looked at the following areas:

• Amount of cat-friendly housing in a city
• Number of AAFP certified cat veterinary practices 
• Abundance of local animal shelters + welfare groups
• Number of pet stores selling cat products

How did Birmingham fare in each category?

We crushed it! Birmingham scored an A+ in feline friendliness beating out 99 other cities for the No. 1 spot. Kitty high five!

The study also found that Birmingham’s housing market is ideal for owning a cat (or in most cases, cats. Cats are like potato chips after all, you can’t stop with just one.)

With 81% of all available rental properties across the city allowing felines, this makes Birmingham the 6th highest cat-friendly housing market in the U.S. Meowza!

As a feline adorer, I’m not surprised by this finding. Just join local Facebook group Magic City Kitties and you’ll quickly see how much cats are beloved around Birmingham.

A deeper dive into local animal shelters

Based on the study, one area where Birmingham shines for felines is in animal shelters and welfare groups. What shelters and groups are leading the clowder (that’s cat speak for “a group of cats”)?

Gatos and Beans

Part feline adoption center, part cafe, Gatos and Beans was Birmingham’s very first cat cafe, and locals quickly fell in love with the concept. A place to grab a coffee and chill with snuggly purring cats? Who could resist?

The cat cafe partners with local animal rescue Kitty Kat Haven who provides the adoption center with cats who are in need of a good home. The rescue’s also responsible for the vet care, food, litter and other essential needs of the cats in the adoption center. Employees of Gatos and Beans provide the day-to-day care of the animals.

We’ve followed Gatos and Beans’ journey since the beginning. Check it out:

• Gatos and Beans, Alabama’s first cat café, is coming to Birmingham
• Gatos and Beans, Alabama’s 1st cat café, opening August 1 in Avondale. Mural photos!
• The newest Birmingham Cat Cafe is coming and it looks paw-some
• Gatos and Beans cat café is purrrfect, and we’re not kitten

Kitty Kat Haven and Rescue

Kitty Kat Haven and Rescue is a feline-centered rescue whose mission is to save abandoned, stray and injured cats and kittens. By providing cats with complete veterinary care in a safe and loving environment, felines are cared for until they can be placed in loving homes.

Greater Birmingham Humane Society

You may not know this, but the Greater Birmingham Humane Society has been helping pets since 1883. With a mission to promote the humane treatment of people and animals through education, advocacy and services, the GBHS has helped many animals—in Birmingham and beyond.

Here are some services they offer:

• Adoption
• Pet Resource Center
• Education
• Animal Cruelty Investigations
• Animal Care + Control

Cat Rescue Heroes

We can’t overlook the many local cat heroes who volunteer their time to help cats in need. This includes feral cats, which have become an increasing issue around Birmingham.

Meet one local resident tackling the problem.

Want to rescue an animal in need?

Add some daily cuteness to your inbox when you sign up for our newsletter. Inside each newsletter, we feature an Adorable and Adoptable section that highlights a local pet in need of a fur-ever home.

Okay, so we do show off some sweet dogs, hilarious guinea pigs and even a bird named Vera Wing, you are guaranteed to see lots of adorable and adoptable kitty cats seeking a home.

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